Coronation Beach, 22km north of Geraldton is world-renown as one of the best windsurfing and kitesurfing spots in Australia.
For decades, the state government has been promoting the construction of a new port in the area called "Oakajee".
This project has been on again, off again for about twenty-eleven years and locals here will be sceptical that it will happen this time, like every other time it was purported to be "definitely on", only to be "definitely off" some time later, but this should be no reason for complacency.
(The response I heard this morning from a long-time local was: "I have a song that can be sung to that tune in answer to that: 'If I had a dollar for everyone that said that to me over the past 10 years,('Oakajee is definitely ON this time') I'd be able to build it myself'".
Today the federal government announced that the project has been resurrected by junior mining concern Padbury Mining; having struck a deal with an Australian private equity investor, the Korean government, with possible involvement of the Chinese government and others. There are large deposits of iron ore to the east and the existing port at Geraldton doesn't have the capacity to handle the export demand.
The project is estimated to cost in the region of $6,000,000,000 to build ($6bn)
www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20140411/pdf/42nydqqh6z6v6g.pdf
[b]This is significant for kiters and windsurfers, as the delivery of this project will entail the construction of a 2-4km ocean breakwall just to the south of Coronation Beach at "Spot-X" (the best wave riding location in this part of the world), effectively blocking the prevailing southerly sea breeze along with the swell from the south, destroying Spot-X and rendering Coronation Beach irrelevant as a kiting and windsurfing spot.
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Will post more information as it becomes available.
Years ago Geraldton Windsurfing club opposed it and windsurfers in general protested a lot.
As a result the project undertook to build an artificial reef to replace SpotX (which would be destroyed by this port).
I bet that has all been forgotten now.
Then last time it stalled, about 3yrs ago, it was rumoured that they had discovered a lot more limestone in the area that needs to be dredged, making the construction much more difficult than anticipated.
Given that fact, I have always said why don't they just build it a few north or Coro's? Or a bit further south than the existing place? This can't be the only bit of coastline where a ship can get in (with some dredging) and a road can be put thru.
We need WAKSA, AKSA and WWA onto this big time in the media.
Whats wrong with an upgrade of Port Gero???
Seriously - Id like to know the answer to this one.
Yes it should be protested by all parties but we need to know the options.
If they do build Oakajee then where would the drumlines be placed !!!
Money money money progress money money money progress money money money progress... Where's this paradigm shift I've been hearing about?
heard a broker talk about it today and was pesemistic about the 6billion dollars being raised for the project, wouldnt hold my breath
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you think a few kiters or poleys are going to change such a big spin off for major powerbrokers, you are tripping, these decision makers are scum and only concerened about own financial gain, take a look at most politicians financial portfolio, or family portfolio , its a natural resource why not wait a while
Select to expand quotepuppetonastring said..
Whats wrong with an upgrade of Port Gero???
Seriously - Id like to know the answer to this one.
Yes it should be protested by all parties but we need to know the options
I'm pretty sure Gero port is pretty close to capacity, iron ore, minerals sands, grain, lead/nickel/copper/zinc concentrates, fuel, talc etc etc and it can't handle anything like a Cape class vessel which is the norm for the Pilbara. It's also smack bang in the middle of the CBD so everything has to be stored in sheds to keep the dust down and there isn't room to expand the sheds to the capacity they need. The port basin and channel isn't deep enough either. Phase 1 of Oakajee is for around 4 times the current iron ore capacity of Gero port, phase 2 brings it up to 7 times Gero capacity. The current rail line is narrow gauge and doesn't have the efficiencies of the standard gauge proposed for Oakajee.
That about cover it Puppet? 
I just started looking at the GPA and Oakajee websites, someone has spent a lot of money deciding Oakajee is the spot, if they get the funding I don't think a bunch of kiters and poleys will stop it.
Half the kiters and poleys work fifo too and then the greens roll up with there comby vans( made out of base metals) after there dole check has gone in which happens to be paid for by rio,bhp,and fortesque and the mining tax. Lets face it how would you get to coronations with out a car which happens to made out of base metals and steel through the chassis!.
The only people that can save coronations are the full blood aborigines.I believe they have the right because they can live off the land with out mining..They are the only people in this nation that have survived here with out mining ,without airconditioning and combi vans.
Lets support the aborigines and play games with the corporations .We can win the fight if we attack with the right weapons .
Strike at the achillies !
Blah blah blah more nonsense to give the real estate agents the horn,
If it does happen nothing anybody can do, give me spot Y over X any day. Would however ruin the coastline as they have no idea of how to manage costal sand movement as it is 
might make downwinders more interesting
Don't bother protesting til they come out of the next trading halt. I worked on the previous iteration of building this port and we had huge financial backing. These padbury guys are cowboys and I seriously doubt there is any chance of them getting oakajee built. Let's see who their mystery investor is, and what their motivation to build a 6 billion dollar port to service some seriously marginal mines digging up 27% rubbish iron ore.
Lose a kiting spot oh well....might make up some of the money i lost investing in gero property!
I wonder if padbury has plans to float to the public...Wonder how these shares would fair?
^ the Website shows the recreation area at Corros remaining and a new one planned for the south side of the port. This might be the one you are referring to?
I have to ask, has anyone actually looked at what impact it will have on kiting/windsurfing? I can't comment on Spot X as I don't know exactly where it is but the proposed southern breakwater indicated on the plans doesn't look to stick out far enough to impede a swell direct from the south as it hits Corros and that's not counting the fact that the swell will wrap around the breakwater anyway. Likewise the wind, the tip of the breakwater might just affect a southerly, but there is plenty of ocean for a Seabreeze to smooth out before it hits Corros, no different to the current port affecting the wind before St George's.
I'm not pro port or otherwise but the argument that Corros will no longer be sailable on a Southerly wind/swell is easily negated by looking at the drawings.
Edit: if you go here http://www.opandr.com/environment/port_marine_ep_act.phtml you will find their Recreation, Fishing and Access Management Plan.
Their research says it won't affect the swell hitting Corros and South Corros.
Make your own judgement on how much you think the former Oakajee proponents cared about Spot-X and Coronation:
From Page 67 http://www.opandr.com/images/opandr---cheiv.pdf
As part of the RFAMP, investigations were conducted to determine the potential
impacts from wave sheltering and the loss of Spot X as a result of the approved Port
facility (JFA, 2010). These studies determined:
? Wave sheltering impacts will be limited to the area around the ODP.
? Although the loss of Spot X would be disappointing to the windsurfing /surfing
community, it would not undermine the Geraldton region as a quality
windsurfing venue.
? Despite the development of the ODP removing access to Spot X there are
numerous other recreational access points for windsurfers and surfers.
FYI:the "JFA 2010" report appears to be "unavailable" and does not come up in any Google searches
I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement. How many excellent breaks have been affected by man made structure into the ocean.
I live 3 minutes from one right now.
They need to dig up and send tons of sand every year over the cut to stop the rest of the coastline to the north becoming a rocky wasteland.
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement.
With poor strategies in place gpa struggle to manage sand movement as it is, difficult when two separate companies offer two completely different solutions based on models they barely understand.
If it it happens is happens, there's nothing a bunch of teabaggers and pole dancers can do.
Make with the movement and campaign for an artificial break, like mentioned above there are plenty of other places on the coastline so don't limit yourself to spot x,
Agreed Austin... I think both the benefits, and impacts are being quite exaggerated. Plenty of jobs in construction, but in operation, maybe 150 port jobs, and 150 rail jobs. All the heavy design and management work will be done in Perth.
But what do you guys think of that port design? Wide open to the NW where we get our strongest winter winds. I reckon they are going to lose quite a few winter days to wind, swell etc. Maybe the cost of the lost days is less than the cost of a north breakwater construction, but it's a very one sided port.
Dave
They were meant to announce who the mystery 6 billion is from today, but have deferred til Thursday. It would be interesting to see who Mr Stokes played golf with last week that dumped their shares on Friday. About 6 million worth changed hands.
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement. How many excellent breaks have been affected by man made structure into the ocean.
I live 3 minutes from one right now.
They need to dig up and send tons of sand every year over the cut to stop the rest of the coastline to the north becoming a rocky wasteland.
Before the causeway was built in dampier in the 70's dampier's harbour had long beautiful sandy beaches. It now has a brown tinge with lots of rocks showing. The blocking of the water flow caused a venturi kind of effect and sucked the sand away....
He He, this one sucks them in every time. Purely to make a profit at the stock exchange.
Select to expand quoteEB said..
He He, this one sucks them in every time. Purely to make a profit at the stock exchange.
Gotta agree, smells like typical WA style market manipulation.
Don't panic gang there will be no Port Oakagee, well not until the Chinese are running the country, about 25 years time
Select to expand quotesamokta said..eppo said..
I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement. How many excellent breaks have been affected by man made structure into the ocean.
I live 3 minutes from one right now.
They need to dig up and send tons of sand every year over the cut to stop the rest of the coastline to the north becoming a rocky wasteland.
Before the causeway was built in dampier in the 70's dampier's harbour had long beautiful sandy beaches. It now has a brown tinge with lots of rocks showing. The blocking of the water flow caused a venturi kind of effect and sucked the sand away....
also used to have nice coral and fish life ,,, now not so much .....
I remember those huge hideous reef crunches they brought in years ago,,fn disgusting,,,,if they do go ahead with it they will distort and distroy the whole bay
,,,i guess now that you kite boyz are here to stay you could try and get that Rich Branson on board
Select to expand quoteChris6791 said..
Thanks Chris.
Guess that rules that option out !
