- Published:
- Thursday 17 March 2022
Work is underway on the second stage of a $4.5 million upgrade at the Queenscliff boat ramp, making it easier for boaters to access Port Phillip Bay or venture out to the Bass Strait.
The priority project at the historic Bellarine Peninsula destination is part of the Andrews Labor Government's unprecedented $47.2 million investment to improve recreational boating for all Victorians, with Better Boating Victoria (BBV) delivering a program of works statewide.
The project's second stage is being managed by the Borough of Queenscliffe, with crews on site this week to begin works. Construction is expected to be complete mid-year and, while crews are on-site, the boat ramp will be closed.
Stage one works were completed in late 2021, replacing overflow parking with a formal parking area housing 33 parks big enough for a car and trailer, adding dedicated boat preparation areas and dredging work to improve access at all tides.
The project's second round of improvements will centre on works at the boat ramp itself. The existing two-lane ramp will be widened and resurfaced, with a third lane built to offer a trio of 4-metre-wide lanes with a grooved surface providing more traction.
A new floating pontoon will be installed in the centre of the ramps, and the existing floating pontoons on either side of the ramp will be replaced with longer structures to allow more boats to be temporarily tied up.
The outer pontoons will be spaced further apart to create more berthing space and feature better walkway access for boaters once they've parked their trailer.
Focused on making recreational boating cheaper and more accessible, the Labor Government is also investing more than $30 million each year into the Better Boating Fund – a promise made at the 2018 election to ensure all money from licence fees and recreational vessel registration improves boating infrastructure and boating programs.
This is in addition to the free parking and launching initiative at Victorian boat ramps and the Government's most significant boat ramp construction program in the state's history.
To find out more, please visit betterboating.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window).
Quotes attributable to Minister for Fishing and Boating Melissa Horne
"We are delivering on our promise to create a bigger, better Queenscliff boat ramp that is more accessible for all boaters on the Bellarine Peninsula."
"We know the importance of boat ramps at locations such as Queenscliff and Point Richards, which is why we are making significant investments into ensuring these facilities meet the needs of boaters and provide benefits to the local economy for years to come."
Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
"Few places are more synonymous with boating on the Bellarine Peninsula than Queenscliff, and these upgrades will ensure locals and visitors have better access to the water, whether they want to venture out onto the Bay or beyond."