Courtesy of Trove Australian Town and Country Journal 23 June 1883
We have been favoured with the accompanying sketch by Captain J. H. Springall, of the C and E. steamer Coraki, as to his belief how the bar of the river might be improved at a comparatively small expense. It will be seen by the sketch that he would confine the water at the mouth of the river in its present channel by means of a dyke or breakwater (No. 1 in the illustration) about 200 yards in length, running from Cemetery Point on the north side of the North Creek to a patch of rocks about 50 yards south of the pilot station. This work need not cost more than £20,000, and would secure a water channel which cannot now be made use of owing to a large sandbank, known as the crossing, there being no channel deeper than 18in through it at the present time.
1. The Proposed Dyke 2. Rocks in the Channel, between which and No. 1 a Deep Water Passage would soon he cleared.
3. Cemetery Low Scrub. 4. Barren Hill. 5. Wreck of the Adonis. 6. and 7. Wrecks. 8. The Crossing that would be Scoured out.
This break water would be the means of throwing the water of the North Creek and the Richmond River into one channel which could be used by vessels in and out. At the present time this channel is 100 yards in width and only navigable at highwater, owing to the existence of several detached rocks which an official from the Harbour and Rivers Department and a party of men a few months since failed to remove, through no fault of theirs, but owing to their being covered with sand, the north channel being then open with a passage over the crossing. It is a well known fact that when the south channel is open there is no crossing unless the waters were kept in the position shown, and which can be done by means of the breakwater before alluded to, and were it done promptly, and the sand not allowed to accumulate on the rocks again, which can now be removed with very little trouble – for Captain Springall reports the sand has shifted north within the last three weeks 50 yards towards the dangerous rocks – there would be no difficulty in carrying out this scheme, as there is an abundance of material on the spot.
The South Head could also be protected by a sea wall about a mile in extent, running from the deep water of the river to the present position of the wreck of the Francis Hickson. In this way the scandal of the Richmond River bar crossing would cease to exist. We believe other vessels have been added to the list of wrecks since our last illustration appeared in this journal.
THE RICHMOND BAR.
Courtesy of Trove Australian Town and Country Journal 12 May 1883
Tuesday a deputation waited on Mr. Moriarty, chief engineer of the Harbours and Rivers Department, respecting the Richmond River bar. The deputation was introduced by the member for the district, Mr. S. Gray, M.L.A., and consisted of Captain Springhale (of the steamer Coraki) and Messrs. Barker and A. Rose. A plan and a report prepared by Messrs Springfield and Rose were produced and favourably received. It was announced that £1200 would be immediately expended in blowing up the rocks on the bar, which are now clear of sand. These rocks, it may be mentioned, knocked two holes in the bottom of the Lismore the last time she crossed the bar, and it is therefore high time they were removed.