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In a boost for beachgoers, access to Stingray Bay has been re-opened and parking on Viaduct Road has been restored.
The area required extensive repair work after it was damaged by a storm in September, with large swells undermining sections of Viaduct Road.
Warrnambool City Council Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mason thanked everyone for their patience while the work was carried out.
“We know that Stingray Bay is a very popular area, especially over summer, so we are really pleased to be able to re-open access before Christmas,” he said.
“For those who have driven down Viaduct Road over the past month or so, you would have seen the scale of the work required, with lots of heavy machinery deployed to re-build the dune.
“The aim of this project is to re-establish the defence against similar storms in the future.
“September’s storm was a Declared Disaster by the Department of Home Affairs, which means we can apply for Australian Government Disaster Recovery Funding for this project.
“Thank you to everyone for your understanding while this important work was carried out. In the New Year, we will be undertaking repairs on the timber groyne, but this will have minimal impact on beachgoers.
“And speaking of Stingray Bay, and with the summer peak season upon us, it’s a timely reminder that Middle Island is an important conservation area that is closed to the public.”