Project Details

Element provided environmental assessment and regulatory advice to the United Services Union (USU) to support the replacement of flood-damaged waterfront infrastructure on the Hastings River in Port Macquarie. The project aimed to restore the jetty, pontoon and access ramp following major flooding, while managing potential impacts on aquatic habitats and meeting environmental approval requirements.

Major flooding across the Port Macquarie-Hastings region caused widespread damage to public and private infrastructure, including assets along the Hastings River foreshore. The significant March 2021 flood was followed by further major flood events through 2022, highlighting the vulnerability of riverside infrastructure.

USU sought to replace its jetty, pontoon and access ramp after the existing infrastructure was destroyed by flooding. The replacement works required environmental assessment under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, with particular consideration of potential impacts on aquatic ecology and seagrass within the Hastings River.

Element Engagement

Element was engaged to prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to support the replacement works. This included assessing potential direct, indirect and cumulative environmental impacts, coordinating specialist aquatic ecological investigations, evaluating statutory requirements and identifying appropriate environmental safeguards.

Element also consulted relevant regulatory authorities and identified additional requirements, including a permit to harm marine vegetation under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and notification to Transport for NSW – Maritime ahead of construction.

Project Achievements

Element helped USU navigate the environmental and regulatory requirements associated with restoring flood-damaged infrastructure in a sensitive riverine environment. By integrating aquatic ecological considerations with environmental planning and regulatory consultation, Element identified a practical pathway for the replacement works while addressing potential impacts on seagrass and aquatic habitats.

Element's early identification of additional permitting and maritime notification requirements provided greater clarity around the steps necessary before construction, supporting the project's progression towards restoring an important waterfront asset.