newy.com.au – Repairs to weather damaged sections of Macquarie Pier and the Nobbys Head rock shelf have been completed, the Port Authority of NSW says, helping maintain protection for Newcastle Harbour shipping and reduce rockfall risks near public access areas.
Newcastle Harbour Master Captain Vikas Bangia said the pier made the harbour entrance safer for vessels by absorbing and deflecting wave energy. The exposed coastal conditions had caused parts of the seawall and rock shelf to deteriorate, making repairs necessary to maintain their function.
Port Authority acting group executive for infrastructure, assets and development Catherine Blaine said four sections of the Macquarie Pier seawall had been stabilised. Loose and damaged stones were removed while as much of the original structure as possible was retained.
“Working alongside heritage specialists and stonemasons, we reused sandstone recovered from the site and hand-fitted around 98 reclaimed and newly cut stones to match the original stonework.”
At Nobbys Headland, the work involved stabilising sections of the rock shelf and replacing deteriorated sandstone blocks. Ms Blaine said those repairs would help reduce the risk of rockfalls affecting nearby infrastructure and public access areas.
The rock shelf was constructed in 2018 to help protect the surrounding public areas from potential rockfalls, Captain Bangia said.
Macquarie Pier is a State Heritage listed site, originally built as a breakwater linking the mainland to what was once Nobbys Island, now Nobbys-Whibayganba Headland, to provide a safer passage for ships entering the harbour.
