Carnarvon is a coastal town and things have not been good for their yacht club since the waterways became choked with silt. This phenomenon had been occurring for the last two years. However, the community has played a big role in helping to solve this problem.
Most people who would visit by trailer boats or by yachts were not able to gain access; locals were also denied enjoyment of sailing in the ocean waters due to the sandbars. The social life of the club was affected as well since most of the activities depended upon yachts visiting the club marina. Many people were not being able to come into town with their trailer boats as they did and stayed before; this impacted the tourism earnings of the town as well. Sandbars grew quickly and locals who went cruising were often not able to return. In most occasions, boat owners found themselves with their vessels stranded on the other side and blocked off.
Price for dredging was about $1.5 million and it was up to the shire to do so; they did not have that funding. As a result, the Department of Transport was also not able to pitch in. However, some locals were enterprising enough to come up with their own solutions. Treasurer and life member of the club, Ray Smith spotted a bargain, a disused dredger that was on sale and he thought that it was a possibility that the community could invest in.