Dredging to remove a build up of sand in Brighton Harbour has begun, Bayside City Council said.
The work is expected to take two to three weeks, subject to weather, during which time temporary boating access restrictions will apply within the harbour.
The operation is a joint Parks Victoria and Royal Brighton Yacht Club project.
Coastal processes have caused sand to accumulate on the Brighton Dog Beach, a narrowing of the access fairway width from 30 to 15 metres, and some impact to safe navigation for recreational boaters and emergency services.
The dredging is being done in preparation for the peak boating season as Middle Brighton Pier is undergoing vital repairs.
The primary dredging site is the access fairway near the sand spit which will take about 10–12 days, before work begins at the northern marina entrance taking a further 2–3 days.
Around 10,000m3 of sand is expected to be extracted and transferred via pipeline to the disposal area north east of the harbour where it can re-enter the natural longshore process.