Joint opening for boat ramp

Gosford Mayor Cr Laurie Maher and the Minister for the Central Coast Mr Grant McBride, jointly opened the new boat ramp and pontoon wharf at Pretty Beach on November 3.

The new ramp has been extended to improve access at low tide and a finger pontoon added to allow vessels to moor next to it.

A sandstone seawall has also been constructed to minimise erosion from waves.

The ramp was constructed during August and September this year, with the pontoon wharf installed shortly after.

The project cost of $375,000 was jointly funded by Gosford Council and the NSW Maritime Authority under the Maritime Infrastructure Program.

The funding followed representations from member of the Pretty Beach, Wagstaffe and District Progress Association Mr George McDonald.

Cr Maher said the new ramp was largely as a result of Mr McDonald's "persistent efforts to set the wheels in motion".

"From 2003 to the first half of 2005 Mr McDonald and the Pretty Beach, Wagstaffe and District Progress Association worked extremely hard moving the project forward," Cr Maher said.

"In 2003, George met with the then Labor Party candidate for Gosford, Deborah O'Neill, (now Labour candidate for Terrigal) who set the political ball rolling."

As well as lobbying for funding, Mr McDonald developed detailed plans and drawings for the project.

Now living at Greenwell Point, illness prevented Mr McDonald attending the opening.

He was represented by his daughter, Sharon Doust of Sydney.

Ms O'Neill said she had worked tirelessly with Pretty Beach residents during the last State election to successfully secure $225,000 in state funding for the project.

"This was an important project to the Pretty Beach community," Ms O'Neill said.

"We worked long and hard together to get it off the ground.

"George McDonald approached me during the last election about the state of the boat ramp facilities.

"The boat ramp was an important facility for the locals and it was in desperate need of attention.

"Boats were getting damaged because they were getting stuck on the ramp.

"I took this up with the State Government and lobbied the then Minister for Ports who approved a $225,000 grant through the State Government's Maritime Infrastructure Program.

"The project has been a long time coming as it had been delayed a number of times by Gosford Council, so I'm excited to finally see the end result."

Press release, November 7 Marion Newall, Gosford Council Press release, November 3 Deborah O'Neill, Labor Candidate for Terrigal