Progress
The contractor is nearing completion of the concrete capping beam connecting the row of piles at the front of the seawall structure. Just under 90% of the capping beam has now been poured, extending toward the eastern end of Shark Beach.
Construction of the capping beam is followed by backfilling with layers of sand, ballast and shotcrete, working west to east along the beach. Once a section of the seawall is backfilled the contractor can form and pour the overlying concrete bleacher structure.
Construction of the bleachers is proceeding tier by tier, progressively building up the stepped levels of the seawall. The contractor has constructed 4 tiers to date at the western end of the beach, and preparation for construction of the mid-level terrace is underway. Multiple concrete pours will occur over the coming weeks to continue construction of the bleachers, working upward and toward the eastern end of the beach. Earthworks for the pedestrian and vehicle ramp at the eastern end of the beach will also commence within the next month.
Wet weather and large swells have created challenges on site during late March and early April. The proximity of the harbour to the site means the water table sits close below the base of the excavation, and any rainfall pools within the site and requires dewatering, impacting progress of the work. Rainfall has caused 5 days’ delay since last month.
Large swells and high tides during an east coast low on 6 April overtopped the temporary sheet pile wall separating the site from the harbour, inundating the site with water and sand, and causing wave damage to the works. Assessment of the impact is not finalised, but the clean-up and replacement of damaged formwork is likely to add approximately 2 weeks to the program.
Following this rainfall and storm impact, overall completion of the project is accordingly now forecast for July 2024, excluding any further inclement weather or latent site conditions.
Visitor access
Shark Beach will remain closed to visitors until the completion of the project. In the interest of everyone’s safety, we kindly request that all visitors refrain from entering the construction site, be it through fencing or water. This area is not safe for visitors.
We appreciate and understand that the project delays are very frustrating, but we are committed to delivering the project to specification so that this public infrastructure meets its design life of 100 years. All parties involved are working hard to achieve overall completion as soon as possible.
More information
Please refer to the project webpage for the latest information, regularly updated as information becomes available. Questions and comments are welcome, and anyone can sign up to receive these updates. Just complete the online form on the project webpage.