Lower Yarra River Maintenance Dredging Tender

⁠⁠⁠Parks Victoria is the waterway manager for the Yarra River (under the Marine Safety Act 2010) and is responsible for ensuring safe navigation for both recreational and commercial boat users. Parks Victoria manages several fixed and floating landings as well as the navigational channel of the lower Yarra River.

The gradual accretion of silt and sediment in the lower Yarra River has led to a reduction in channel width and depth for some parts of the river resulting in restricted safe navigational access to facilities. The Victorian Government has provided funding to improve commercial and recreational access along the lower Yarra River through a maintenance dredging program. This represents the biggest investment into the Yarra River since the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The maintenance dredging program will lead to safer navigation and ensure it is accessible for recreational and commercial users well into the future. The funding boost means that the precinct will be maintained as a prominent landmark in Melbourne CBD and acknowledges its contribution to the modern culture and social vibrancy of Melbourne.

Parks Victoria is seeking to engage an appropriately qualified and experienced service provider to deliver dredging services along the lower Yarra River including sites centred around fixed and floating landings and the main navigational channel for up to a three (3) year period 2021-2023. Contract length is an initial fixed term of two (2) years with an option to extend for a further one (1) year term.

Parks Victoria is seeking responses from experienced operators who can provide dredging expertise that result in efficiencies, innovation and cost benefits over the course of the contract.

Project Background

The proposed dredging services under the contract will include three yearly dredging campaigns under the lower Yarra River maintenance dredging program. The yearly dredging campaigns are to be carried out primarily in winter and early spring 2021-2023. The project area for the lower Yarra River maintenance dredging program extends between the Bolte Bridge and Burnley Harbour.

The aim of the maintenance dredging program is to reinstate sufficient water depth at prioritised dredging areas in the lower Yarra River in a manner that minimises disturbance to stakeholders, is consistent with Government guidance and policy and is conducted in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner.

The environmental requirements for dredging must comply with the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan developed for the maintenance dredging program, the Best Practice Environmental Management: Guidelines for Dredging (BPEMG) (EPA 2001) and the National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging - (NAGD) (Commonwealth of Australia 2009).

Dredging sites are centred around fixed and floating landings as well as the navigational channel. The works will entail dredging at 5-10 dredging sites per year. It is expected that three (3) dredge campaigns will be undertaken, each spanning over 4-9 months, removing around an estimated volume of 10 000m3 per dredge campaign.

The nature of the works and its constraints suggest the program is suited to small dredging equipment such as a small Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) or equivalent. This is proven to be a suitable methodology for the area due to the restricted accessibility to the dredging sites due to low bridge height clearance and the small dredging areas and volumes per dredging site. The dredged material is to be deposited in designated disposal sites in deeper parts of the river. The required pumping distance for disposal ranges between 300-3,500m depending on the dredging site.

Sustainable dredging of the lower Yarra River will ensure that it remains a popular destination for locals, rowers, tourists, walkers and cyclists.