SANDBARS and reduced water depths have made The Cut an extremely dangerous option for Bunbury skippers.
The transport department has urged boat owners navigating the channel to do so with extreme care.
Advice on launch sites and a copy of the latest local boating guide has been sent to 13,000 registered recreational boat owners in Bunbury.
There are no laws prohibiting vessels using The Cut.
However, it was not designed as a navigation channel and conditions can be extremely hazardous.
Department project manager James Holder said interim repairs undertaken prior to winter had successfully protected the structure from further costly damage during recent storm events.
Surplus rock excavated from the site of the new Augusta Boat Harbour at Flinders Bay was used to reinforce the damaged rock wall on the north side of The Cut to protect the channel and adjacent beach from further damage over winter.
“Any additional sand infill to the waterway would have had potential environmental and boating safety consequences, adding to the cost of returning the waterway to full operation,” Mr Holder said.
Mr Holder said the department continued to work with various authorities, including the City of Bunbury, shires of Harvey and Dardanup and several state government stakeholders, to investigate long term management options for The Cut.
Constructed in the 1950s to support the development of the Bunbury Port, The Cut provides an essential ocean connection between the Leschenault Estuary and the Collie and Preston Rivers.
The department has advised people check the current navigation warning for the location before heading out in their vessel at transport.wa.gov.au/tntm
In July, the Bunbury Mail published a story about Bunbury Sea Rescue's ban on entering the dangerous channel and a local boater's close call. To read the story, click here.
