The quay wall and ramp begin in March and run about five months. Three weeks of it close the south point approach, and that is the fortnight the growers will feel.
Stage three of the harbour works starts in March. This is what the council was told at the site meeting on Tuesday, written down on the day, as every stage has been.
What the stage is. The quay wall on the northern side and the loading ramp. About five months if the materials arrive as scheduled, and the contractor was careful to say that the wall blocks depend on two shipments.
What it closes. The north beach stays closed, as it has been. In the middle of the stage, for about three weeks, the approach to the south point is closed while the ramp aggregate is barged in and stockpiled. The council was told this would be in the eighth to eleventh week, which puts it in the middle of the watermelon harvest.
What we have asked for. That the three week window be moved either earlier or later, out of the harvest. The council put this in writing at the meeting and was told it will be considered. That answer and its date are on the noticeboard, and we will publish the reply whatever it is. We cannot instruct anybody on that site and we will not pretend that asking is the same thing as deciding.
What happens to the boat if the window is not moved. The council has spoken to the boat owner and the arrangement would be loading from the west beach for those three weeks, on a rising tide only, which means the boat leaves at whatever hour the tide allows rather than at six. It would be slow and it would work. The loading order rotation continues through it, and we will pin the tide times up a week at a time rather than expecting anybody to work them out.
Two other things from the meeting. The working hours remain seven until five, nothing at night and nothing on Friday, and the contractor repeated that to his site manager in front of us. The bowser for the dust on the track past the school continues while the earthworks last.
Anything outside those hours should be reported to the office the same day with the time. The council takes the dates to the fortnightly meeting and that is the only thing that has produced a change so far.
