A: There is a chronic shortage of boating pens in the metropolitan area. Recreational ownership of boats has increased significantly over the past decade without a corresponding increase in the number of moorings. The closest marinas to Rockingham are at Mandurah, 27 kilometres to the south and the Fremantle Yacht Club/Challenger Harbour marinas approximately 20 kilometres to the north. The location of the site is ideal as it has good links to existing pedestrian, cycle and road network infrastructure. Furthermore a marina there may present the opportunity to remove the swing moorings in Mangles Bay that currently are responsible for seagrass loss.

Recreational anglers will have increased fishing opportunities in the area due to access to the breakwater and recreational boating facilities, and the general public will be able to utilise the marina facilities (e.g. restaurants and cafes) for recreation. Hide this Answer.

A: No. The vegetation of the area is not regionally significant. The reserve between Wanliss Street and Victoria Street is not recognized in Bush Forever as Regionally Significant Bushland. Hide this Answer.

A: Most of the species of protected marina fauna within 15 kilometres of the marina site are transitory and occur in very low numbers, or only occur in deeper waters to the west of Garden Island and are highly unlikely to be affected by any part of the development.

Construction will result in the removal of a small area of habitat potentially used by a limited number of common birds and reptile species. This area is frequently disturbed by people and domestic animals.

Over time, several species of bird recorded at the location are likely to take advantage of the marina as a resource for roosting and hunting. Pelicans, cormorants and certain species of tern are likely to benefit from the greater diversity and abundance of fish in the area as a result of the marina being constructed and are known to roost and hunt around man-made structures and frequent busy ports and marinas. (St Kilda Breakwater in Victoria is a classic example) Hide this Answer.

A: Approximately 0.2 ha of low quality fauna habitat will be removed. In view of the low numbers of common species recorded at the site and very low numbers of migrant waders likely to visit the site, in conjunction with the conservative clearing methods to be used, it is predicted that the construction and operation of the marina will not have a significant effect on the activities and populations of terrestrial fauna species.

The vegetation above ground will be removed using scrub cutters and the bare soil left for two weeks before ground works begin. This will preferably be undertaken during late summer or autumn, outside the peak nesting season for birds and in the warmer periods of the year when reptiles are fully active. Hide this Answer.

A: The construction of the breakwater and pier and expansion of the Wanliss Street car park will result in the removal of approximately 0.2 hectares of dune vegetation in degraded to good condition. Weed introduction and erosion via edge effects are unlikely to be any greater than prior to the construction of the marina.

The total area of vegetation requiring removal has been minimised by designing the marina as a predominately offshore structure. The onshore components have been located to take advantage of existing areas devoid of vegetation, or containing degraded vegetation.

A construction management plan will require all workers entering the construction site to undergo a site induction, which will include a discussion on avoiding further impacts to the dune vegetation adjacent to the site. Adequate fencing of the construction site boundaries will be installed to limit the potential for uncontrolled trampling of vegetation by construction workers.

The construction of the Port Rockingham Marina is likely to result in minimal adverse effects to the flora and vegetation of the adjacent dune reserve.

The area of vegetation to be cleared for the marina is considered to be insignificant at both a local and regional scale. Hide this Answer.

A: The nearest seagrass communities to the proposed marina site lie 1.5km to the south-west in Mangles Bay and 2km to the north-west at Garden Island and as such no seagrass communities will be impacted upon by the marina. Hide this Answer.

A: Potential primary producer habitat may be smothered during the breakwater construction period due to the building of a temporary earthen bund. However this will be removed at the completion of the breakwater construction and the seabed returned to its prior condition. Construction and subsequent removal of the temporary earthen bund is therefore not expected to result in a permanent loss of potential benthic primary producer habitat.

The creation of the breakwater and the piling associated with the pier will create an area of new habitat. Hide this Answer.

A: Approximately 3.8ha of bare sand will be smothered by the creation of the breakwater. This area of habitat is used by a limited number of common benthic fauna. This habitat is widely available in Cockburn Sound and the loss of habitat area is insignificant.

The construction of the breakwater and pier will result in the mortality of benthic fauna inhabiting the breakwater footprint but based on the population densities throughout the area, the loss of epibenthic fauna will have a negligible impact on the benthic ecosystem. Hide this Answer.

A: Approximately 3.8ha of bare sand will be smothered by the creation of the breakwater. This area of habitat is used by a limited number of common benthic fauna. This habitat is widely available in Cockburn Sound and the loss of habitat area is insignificant.

The construction of the breakwater and pier will result in the mortality of benthic fauna inhabiting the breakwater footprint but based on the population densities throughout the area, the loss of epibenthic fauna will have a negligible impact on the benthic ecosystem. Hide this Answer.

A: The small area of sand-sheet occupied by the breakwater will be lost for species such as King George whiting and blue manna crabs that inhabit the Cockburn Sound near-shore sandy habitats. The footprint will also be lost as foraging habitat for larger marine species such as dolphins, sea-lions and little penguins. However the density of prey in this vicinity for these groups is generally low. The loss of this area of sand sheet equates to 1.2% of the total sand sheet area between Wanliss Street and James Point and is therefore considered to be insignificant.

Marine fauna, such as the bottlenose dolphin and the Australian sea-lion, will make use of the artificial reef system which is likely to provide shelter for a wider array of prey species than the habitat currently at this location. The sheltered waters inside the marina are likely to be used by baitfish. Increases in baitfish may provide additional prey for little penguins and other seabirds. Hide this Answer.

A: It's likely most mobile species will avoid the marina site during construction. There is a small risk some animals may be present in the construction area and be caught unaware but this is highly unlikely. Any risk that sea-lions may be attracted to the construction activities and receive injury is highly unlikely. Hide this Answer.

A: Injurious levels of noise (e.g. greater than 220 dB) only occur with piles of diameter greater than 1m. As the pile width for the Port Rockingham Marina will be no more than 508mm, injurious or lethal amplitudes are unlikely to be generated even at source. Additionally the piling will be conducted after the breakwater has been constructed and therefore much of the piling noise will be attenuated by the breakwater. All mobile marine fauna that may inhabit the footprint area are expected to avoid the construction area once piling activities commence and as such no direct impacts to these mobile fauna are expected from noise and vibration associated with pile driving activities. Hide this Answer.

A: Management measures will be undertaken during the 12-month construction phase to minimise any impact on nearby residents.

A pamphlet will be distributed to occupiers of the buildings bounded by Rockingham Beach Road, Kent Street, Railway Terrace and Weld Street, notifying them of the potential for noise disruption during the construction period. Distribution of the pamphlet will also be extended to the first row of buildings along the truck haulage route, up to the point where that route hits a major road. The pamphlet will provide details of the nature of the works, the proposed timetable for construction, the hours of construction, and a complaints and information line contact number. The City of Rockingham would be consulted over the form, content and distribution of the pamphlet.

Noise and vibration monitoring will be undertaken on a regular basis during the construction period. Hide this Answer.

A: The predicted outcome of the operating marina is that minimal, if any operational noise emissions will significantly impact on the amenity of local residents. With preventative measures in place, and care in the final design, it is considered that the proposed marina can comply with the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997, at all times and under worst-case weather conditions. Hide this Answer.

A: Potential threats to bottlenose dolphins, sea-lions and little penguins in Cockburn Sound from increased recreational boat traffic will be managed through an information and education program conducted at the marina. A small number of strikes are inevitable with the increasing number of boat owners using Cockburn Sound. This risk is already present, but can be reduced to an acceptable level by proactive management of boating behaviour through the public education program to be undertaken. Hide this Answer.

A: The main preventative management measure to reduce the potential for deterioration of water quality in the Port Rockingham Marina project is the design. The large openings at both ends will generally allow the water body to flush completely within one to two days. The type of material used in the construction of the bund and breakwater will also assist in ensuring the likelihood of potential water quality issues is minimised. The predicted outcome is that the presence of the marina will not adversely impact on the water quality of southern Cockburn Sound. Hide this Answer.

A: The scale of dust generation is expected to be very small, as the only active part of the breakwater construction and potential source of dust on any one day is the tip-end, and a large proportion of the dust will settle in the sea. In summer, when dry soil conditions create the greatest potential for dust generation, strong winds generally occur from the east or south-west. These winds will carry the dust either out to sea (easterly winds) or parallel to the coast (in a south-westerly sea breeze), and therefore are unlikely to affect local residences or beach users. During winter, the damp soil conditions which generally prevail at this time of year will mean it is unlikely significant levels of dust will be generated. The predicted outcome of the management measures to air quality is that emissions are unlikely to adversely affect the area's environmental values or the health, welfare and amenity of people. Hide this Answer.

A: The predicted outcome of the marina will be that a number of marine species targeted by commercial and recreational fishers will actively avoid the area affected by increased turbidity. The increased turbidity is a localised and temporary impact and these targeted species are likely to return to this area following construction and resultant improvement in water quality. Catches in the immediate vicinity of the development site during the construction period can therefore be expected to be temporarily reduced, although this is not considered to be a significant impact because the area of high turbidity will only be a small proportion of the fishable area of Cockburn Sound. Hide this Answer.

A: The commercial fisheries operating in Cockburn Sound generally do not fish extensively within these inshore waters and as such the marina is unlikely to restrict commercial fishing operations. Hide this Answer.

A: Enhanced recreational fishing opportunities will result from the construction of the breakwater.  Inevitably there will be an increase in boat traffic and fishing pressure in Cockburn Sound waters.  However, with effective education programs and existing fisheries management measures this increase in activity is unlikely to cause significant impacts, beyond those associated with the inevitable increasing usage of the sound.  Hide this Answer.

A: It is likely that the marina will increase boating activity within the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park.  However, the provision of educational material is expected to make boat users aware of the potential impacts to marine megafauna and water quality within the park.  It is expected that boating activity can be adequately managed to keep impacts to the park within an acceptable level. Hide this Answer.

A: The marina construction will result in a temporary disruption to recreational activities such as beach walking and swimming within a limited area along the beach. The time frame for the construction activities will be kept to a minimum to ensure that disturbances to public access and recreational opportunities at the site are minimised. The construction areas will be fenced off to stop public access, and signage will be provided explaining the estimated construction time frames, so beach and water users are made aware that the disturbances are of a temporary nature only. Construction activities will not occur after hours and on Sundays or public holidays. Hide this Answer.

A: The marina design has attempted to minimise impacts to visual amenity and viewscapes wherever practical. This includes locating the retail precinct offshore (as opposed to it being shore-based), using light colour schemes and where possible, glass, having curved roof forms to reduce the visual bulk of the buildings, and restricting the building scale to a mix of single and double storey, with the lower height buildings closest to the shore.

Placing the buildings and structure offshore and providing a jetty structure out to the buildings also maintains the visual aspect along the beach, both from the north and south.

The location of the marina to the north of Wanliss Street means that viewpoints at Bell Park and Rockingham Beach areas will be largely unaffected in southerly, westerly and north-westerly directions. The view to the north from these locations will be impacted, however the result will be that the marina will to some extent enhance this view corridor by restricting views to the CBH facility and other industrial facilities further north, which are larger in scale and height than the proposed marina. Some beach users may consider the marina blocking views of the Kwinana industrial area to the north and north-east is a positive impact. Hide this Answer.

A: Based on the maximum forecast traffic increases, all roads in the vicinity of the proposed marina will operate at an acceptable level and will not require widening, and the amount of car parking to be provided will be adequate. Hide this Answer.