Gippsland Ports is undertaking dredging and shoreline renourishment work at Pelican Island and Rigby Island during April, May and June.  This work is an East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority funded project supported by National Heritage Trust funding.

The Gippsland Lakes are an internationally significant biological habitat, listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1982), and an important destination for many protected migratory bird species.

The Lakes regularly support 40,000 – 50,000 waterbirds including significant breeding populations of the Little Tern, a species listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act.  

Pelican Island was last renourishment in 2015 and Rigby Island last renourishment was in 2012.

Both islands have lost shoreline to wind, wave and occasional flooding in these areas that are favoured by shorebirds for resting, foraging and feeding, nesting and breeding.

This project will use Gippsland Ports dredge Kalimna and supporting equipment to place sand on to the islands to mitigate the past effects of erosion, increase the habitable areas for shorebird colonies and increase the resilience of the shoreline to wind and wave action and flood events.  These renourishment works (and works by other project partners) will improve environmental values through improved habitat values at both Pelican and Rigby islands.  

The timing of the dredging works during autumn/early winter months is critical to minimise interruption to the breeding season for the birds that this habitat is being created for.

The work at Pelican Island will occur during April and early May and at Rigby Island in late May and early June.

For all enquiries about this project, please Contact Us – Gippsland Ports