Remediation works for the former prawn farm area south of Townsville will take place over the next three months in a bid to return the area to its natural state and promote the marine environment.

Currently the area previously known as Sun Sun Prawn Farm Aquaculture, located near the Cleveland Bay Sewage Treatment Plant is used as an illegal waste disposal site and a playground for recreational vehicles.

The site is in a highly disturbed state and the Port of Townsville Limited will be engaging an external contractor for the remediation process prior to handing over the land to the Queensland Government.

Access to this area during the remediation process will be restricted to the general public during this period.

Acid sulphate soils occur naturally in this region in marine muds and these produce acidic run-off during weathering of soils that have been disturbed and are no longer tidally flushed.

The works will treat surface and disturbed soils with agricultural lime and level the site to a landform consistent with the surrounding area. The return of tidal flushing to the area is expected to promote the re-establishment of the natural environment.

Port of Townsville encourages the general public to take an active role in discouraging ongoing rubbish pollution in the area.

Works are planned to commence in late July for a period of three months subject to rain events.