Interpretive signage and flood markers planned to be installed at the former Nowra Sailing Club site on the Shoalhaven River have been delayed, with extra consultation required.
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Site Specific has been engaged to prepare the package of interpretive signage and flood markers for the site just east of the current Shoalhaven River bridges.
With the area's "unofficial flood indicator", the Nowra Sailing Club destroyed by fire in June 2017 and subsequently demolished, when there is a flood like in August this year, locals are left questioning how high the flood water actually is.
Read more: Nowra's Scenic Drive to close September 27
A Shoalhaven City Council spokesperson said the flood mark indicator signage was currently in pre-production, awaiting final sign off, however additional consultation with current Jerrinja spokespeople was required for the interpretive signs, due to changes in Jerrinja leadership.
"Site Specific has worked with Nowra Historical Museum in putting together images and crafting the information, and council is awaiting endorsement of the signs from both the museum and Jerringa," the spokesperson said.
It is planned to have the interpretive information laid out on a set of four horizontal panels approximately 1200mm x 250mm, which will be placed on the white timber fence rail.
"These will be easily read from the timber decking of the Nowra Sails structure," the spokesperson said.
"The flood markers will be wrapped around a central shade sail pole and will also be legible to those standing on the timber decking.
"The markers are placed at approximately the height that the flood occurred. The height is as close to real flood level and based on recorded data, however some variation in records has occurred in previous decades."
The markers are approximately 3mm x 50mm in aluminium.
The signs and flood markers will be produced together as one package of works, by one sign maker.
The additional consultation on the interpretive signage affects the delivery of the package of works and a completion date cannot be determined until the additional consultation has been completed.
While welcoming a move forward on the project, Shoalhaven Historical Society president Lynne Allen said it was important to recognise that the building, which eventually housed the Nowra Sailing Club, had a much longer and more important history as a centre of trade and industry.
"From at least 1882 the site was the very busy Nowra Wharf, owned by the Illawarra Steamship and Navigation Co., which serviced coastal steamers and sailing boats transporting goods and passengers, north to Sydney and south to Eden," she said.
"With overland routes to Sydney difficult and hazardous, the sea route fuelled the economy of the Shoalhaven.
"The wharf's importance continued with the establishment of the Nowra Fisherman's Co-operative in 1948 which operated from the wharf building until 1964 when it moved to higher ground on the north bank of the Shoalhaven River.
"To locals, since its construction in 1882 the wharf building has been the indicator of flood levels in the Shoalhaven River, easily seen from a distance."
She said the proposed erection of 'flood markers' on the site will be of interest in fair weather when access to the wharf is not compromised.
"However, in flood time the 'flood markers' will afford little information when viewed from a safe distance while encouraging increased traffic in such a vulnerable site," she said.
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