Submissions made about wharves study

Three submissions have been received about local maritime facilties after Gosford Council exhibited its Brisbane Water Public Wharves and Boat Ramps Usage Study.

The study, which aimed to prioritise upgrades and identify sites for added infrastructure, has now been adopted by council.

One submission nominated improvements to the Blackwall Point boat ramp facility.

These improvements included the need for toilets, a longer slipway for low tide launching, double ramp width and the extension of the manoeuvring area to allow for more vehicle waiting capacity.

In his report, Council's director of city services Mr Stephen Glen stated that the site was unsuitable for upgrading to a regional facility due to difficult road access and site limitations.

"The Blackwall Point facility is considered difficult for vehicular access and would require significant improvement before this site would be considered suitable for improvement to a regional facility," stated the report.

Another submission stated that the study should be extended to include commuter user ferry needs and a hierarchy of wharves requiring higher standards.

The submission also recommended the relocation of the existing Ferry Rd wharf to the alternative Bangalow St site when the Ferry Rd wharf had reached its useful life and required replacement.

Mr Glen responded and said the submission had been noted regarding the relocation of the wharf, however, the Better Boating Program grant conditions for the study applied only to the assessment of public recreational maritime facilities and could not be extended to commercial activities.

One submission identified the need to upgrade Empire Bay's Kendall Rd wharf as well as the need to improve the Empire Bay Reserve area.

Mr Glen reported that this had been identified as a priority to be upgraded.

However, grant funding from the Better Boating Program was restricted to providing maritime infrastructure and other funding sources would be required to improve the public reserve area.

The report stated that Council was responsible for 23 boat ramps and 43 public wharves within Brisbane Water.

The study, which was publicly exhibited between February 20 and March 20 this year, found most maritime facilities within Brisbane Water were in an average condition.

The replacement value of existing maritime assets in the study area was estimated at $6.9 million.

A total of 22 wharves and boat ramps were identified as priority for replacement in the near future, at a total cost of $2.7 million.

These included Woy Woy Town Centre wharf, Ferry Rd wharf, Kendall Rd wharf and boat ramp, Killcare wharf, Woy Woy cargo wharf, Hardys Bay wharf, Wagstaffe wharf, Lions Park wharf No.2, Woy Woy Bay wharf, Phegans Bay wharf, Oroo St wharf, Pier St wharf and Rawson Rd wharf.

Mr Glen said the need for replacement of public wharves and boat ramps should be given to high priority facilities only, due to the limited funding allocations.

"Any decision to replace low priority works or create new infrastructure should be considered against the priority of other capital works items which will result in already identified projects being deferred," stated Mr Glen's report.

The council was successful in receiving grant funding under the 2010-11 Better Boating Program to undertake a detailed investigation of the existing maritime infrastructure, boat usage patterns and fishing amenities within Brisbane Water.

A total of eight submissions were made in response to the study.

Gosford Council Agenda CIT.28, 17 Sep 2013