City of Busselton Plans to Install Second Shark Enclosure

Media Release

City of Busselton

14. January 2015

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Plans for Second Beach Enclosure Progress

Planning for the installation of a second beach enclosure in the City of Busselton is ongoing.

The popular Busselton Foreshore has been identified as the site for this second enclosure which is being funded by the State Government as part of its shark mitigation strategy. The enclosure, as planned, will encompass the swim jetties, the stinger net and the first 205m of the Busselton Jetty (just past the first platform).

Director of Engineering and Works at the City of Busselton, Oliver Darby said that installation of this second enclosure presents more challenges than the first structure which is located at the Old Dunsborough Beach and is now in its second season of operation.

“We consider the Busselton Foreshore a good location for an additional enclosure. However, there are a couple of issues associated with this location that require further investigation. Additionally the tender process has not provided the desired outcome due to materials supply.

The City has been given an extension time to the grant agreement. Effectively this extension provides us with the opportunity to revisit the suppliers with the aim of securing competitively priced materials. It also allows us time to resolve some of the issues specifically relating to the location of the enclosure.”

The City has, therefore, adopted an amended timeline for the delivery of this project. The intention is to have the enclosure installed and operational prior to the 2015 end-of-year summer holiday season.

“We are taking a practical approach,” said Mr Darby. “Given the issues with the tender process and the fact that the current summer season is drawing to an end, it makes better financial and operational sense to deploy the enclosure prior to next summer. This does not present a significant problem as aerial surveillance of the Busselton Foreshore is being undertaken on a regular basis.”

Source: City of Busselton