Storm over boat ramp
HUNDREDS of people have objected to plans for a major new boat ramp at Yorkeys Knob, but boaties have embraced the six-lane facility.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has released a concept plan for a new recreational boat launching facility at the northern beaches suburb.
The new ramp and associated on-land facilities, such as car and trailer parking, are to be constructed on vacant stateowned land outside Yorkeys Knob Boating Club and Half Moon Bay Golf Club, with an access road between the two.
The ramps will be built west of the existing harbour at Yorkeys Knob, outside the marina walls.
It includes a six-lane boat ramp with two floating walkways, two new breakwaters for wave protection, a dredged basin at the end of the ramps, an access channel connecting to the existing dredged entrance servicing Half Moon Creek, Bluewater Marina, and Trinity Park canal estate, and a new access road to connect the proposed boating facility to Buckley St.
The department hopes to start construction in 2020, subject to approvals.
Yorkeys Knob Boat Ramp Action Group secretary Marilyn Wallace collected 320 signatures on the weekend from residents opposed to the project.
She said the group was “shocked” by the plans, as there was insufficient carparking, and concerns about siltWALKERS ing up of water between the two breakwaters.
“It appears (TMR) have taken no consideration of any ideas we fed to them about looking at alternative sites,” she said.
“They haven’t officially consulted anyone in the community.”
Paul Aubin, the Cairns based co-ordinator of recreational fishing lobby group CAREFISH, believed local fishers would be very welcoming of the plans.
“All the boating community in Cairns needs extra boat ramps,” he said.
He said it would be preferable that the ramps were at least 200m away from the marina, so as to not disturb yacht owners.
“Even though it’s a commercial area, I think some of the people complaining have been treating the marina as a residential area for years,” he said.
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