The $1.8 million contract will see about 100,000 cubic metres of sand being dredged from navigation channels in Port Hacking and then dumped off the ocean beaches and allowed to wash in.
One of the most noticeable improvements is in front of The Wall at North Cronulla where the beach was gouged away in the July storms. For months the sea lapped the base of the wall, effectively separating North Cronulla and Eloura beaches. Now, sand has reappeared in front of the wall, restoring access for joggers and walkers.
Current reports say that while the dredging is playing a part in solving this problem, nature is also taking its course, with a large amount of sand that was washed away in the storms finding its way back through natural causes.
The Sutherland Shire Council said that the dredge and dump project has been a resounding success and that the drops have been strategically planned and seem to be landing in the right spots.
BEN Booklet to Help School Leavers
The Sutherland Business Education Network (BEN) has developed a Survival Guide to Training and Employment for school leavers. The aim of the guide is to give young adults a resource book to assist them find their direction after the HSC.
Career co-ordinator Adrian Rhodes said not all school leavers were geared toward university and that there is a perception that if you don’t go to university then you are doing something second rate. He added that this is simply not the case as many are just as successful, if not more, if they go to work or to TAFE.
The guide, developed by BEN, also provides parents with a way to assist their children to find their way through the employment and training “jungle”. With many school leavers undecided as to what they want to do when they leave fulltime education, the booklet also provides details on the many career resources in the region to help get them started on the next phase of their life.
For more information about BEN, or for a copy of the Survival Guide, phone 9531 3975 or visit www.sutherlandben.org,au
Community Aid helping Non English Speaking Migrants
People from non-English speaking backgrounds have access to important information in their native language thanks to a new website. Gymea Community Aid and Information Service has launched its multilingual website, which features information and links in Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Greek and English. Through the links, you can access government departments and agencies such as NSW Health, the Department of Fair Trading and the Department of Community Services.
Website project worker, Anita Rajaretnam, said the aim of the website, which took five months to develop, was to break down the language barrier that often prevented migrants from accessing information and services.
She said local communities were consulted during the development process to ensure the information contained on the site was relevant and useful. They were also invited to review the site prior to launch to test for “user-friendliness”. | 
