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Posted by Allen Newton
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07 Oct, 2026
MORE than 800,000 tonnes of granite rock armour will be used to construct the new surge protection breakwater at Geraldton.
Rock armour weighing up to six-to-eight tonnes will form the structure’s outer layer and once complete, the 750-metre breakwater is expected to reduce surge-related downtime by up to 80%.
Construction is underway on the breakwater, with MGN Civil delivering the construction works and Agilitus supporting the project as Mid West Ports engineering, procurement and construction management contractor, responsible for detailed design and project delivery support.
Locally sourced granite rock is being transported from Chapman Valley to form the new structure.
The $95 million project is designed to reduce the impact of surge conditions, which can disrupt vessel movements and port operations when weather conditions exceed safe operating limits.
The breakwater is being constructed using carefully selected granite rock armour, chosen for its strength and durability in the marine environment.
Mid West Ports chief executive Damian Tully said the project was an important step in improving the reliability and resilience of the existing port.
“Geraldton Port has always operated in a challenging coastal environment, and surge conditions have historically impacted vessel movements and port operations,” Mr Tully said.
“We saw the impact of these conditions firsthand in August, when the port experienced around 15-days of surge-related disruption in a single month. That is a significant operational impact and highlights why improving our resilience to these events is so important.
“The project will provide greater protection from surge conditions and help us operate more reliably, while ensuring the surrounding marine environment continues to be carefully considered.”
MGN Civil is delivering the construction works, including the placement of the granite rock armour and managing construction activities within an operating port environment.
MGN Civil director Guy Schweitzer said they were extremely proud to be involved in a project that would provide a lasting benefit to Geraldton Port and its users for many years to come.
“We’ve made a strong commitment to employing locally wherever possible, with a significant proportion of our project workforce drawn from Geraldton and the surrounding region,” Mr Schweitzer said.
“We’re also using innovative near real-time tracking of material movements together with ongoing survey of the advancing works, creating a digital construction site that gives all project participants live visibility of construction progress.
“It’s a significant marine construction project and we’re pleased to be working collaboratively with Mid West Ports, local suppliers and the wider community to deliver it safely and successfully.”
Extensive coastal modelling, environmental assessments and monitoring have informed the design and construction approach.
The studies have considered wave conditions, currents and sediment movement, supported by ongoing monitoring before, during and after construction.
The design also considers the surrounding marine environment, including the creation of potential new habitat opportunities for Australian sea lions.
Mid West Ports will continue to monitor sea lion activity within the port throughout construction.
The breakwater has been positioned to avoid and minimise impact on existing seagrass meadows.
The Surge Protection Breakwater forms part of the Geraldton Port Maximisation Project (PMaxP), a $350 million program focused on improving the long-term capability of existing port infrastructure.
