In 2000 the Central Coast Artificial Reef Project (CCARP) began lobbying the Australian Government to secure a navy vessel to be sunk as an artificial reef and dive site on the NSW Central Coast. They achieved success when the Australian Government announced in 2007 that the Ex-HMAS Adelaide would be gifted to the NSW Government for this purpose. The project would benefit the Central Coast economy through increased tourism, while also providing important scientific research and educational opportunities.
The ship was handed over to the NSW Government in June 2009, and the Land and Property Management Authority (LPMA) engaged an experienced contractor to carry out a comprehensive cleaning process to ensure the ship met the stringent environmental and health requirements set by the Department of Environment Water Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA). After the clean-up process was completed, DEWHA issued an Artificial Reef Permit under the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 and the ship was scheduled to be scuttled near Avoca Beach on 27 March 2010.
The scuttling was halted after the No Ship Action Group (NSAG) applied to the Tribunal to review the decision by DEWHA to issue the Artificial Reef Permit. The Tribunal’s role was to consider whether DEWHA’s decision to grant the permit was the ‘correct and preferable’ decision.
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal handed down its decision on 15 September 2010, allowing the scuttling of Ex-Adelaide as an artificial reef to proceed with some extra conditions relating to the preparation of the ship and environmental monitoring.
You may download the decision summary here (pdf 431 kb) or go to the links below:
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