A NEW vessel will be plying the waters of the Shoalhaven in a bid to improve river health.
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The new, blue, flat bottom, aluminium punt was recently presented to Shoalhaven Riverwatch – a volunteer organisation undertaking work similar to Landcare groups but with a focus on riverbank restoration and improving the health of our river.
The boat will be used by volunteers to transport people and materials to various river worksites, for monitoring the condition of the river and estuaries to determine priorities in bank restoration work, undertaking surveys of the riverbanks to timeline the state of bank erosion, providing various government authorities with river transport to undertake river management planning and other associated activities and help with various campaigns to clean up the river.
Boat captain, Charlie Weir, was impressed with the stability, safety and manoeuvrability of the boat that is powered by a 60hp engine.
Mr Weir has been the face of Riverwatch for many years and was instrumental in establishing the organisation in the 1980s.
The boat was made possible with funding from federal and state government grants.
