6 February 2015

Minister for Roads and Freight and the North Coast Duncan Gay and Member for Ballina Don Page today announced the NSW Government would be investing $2.78 million on 25 key boating projects to boost safety and accessibility for boaters in the Ballina, Tweed, Clarence and Lismore electorates.

The work is part of the NSW Government’s $37.5 million Boating Now program, which funds almost 200 priority projects across the state.

Minister Gay said the NSW Government would provide about $1 million in the Ballina electorate to deliver accessible, modern and safe boating infrastructure where it is needed most.

This includes an allocation of around $100,000 towards the installation of a new pontoon at the existing ramp at Faulks Reserve, West Ballina, around $50,000 for an extension to the Fishery Creek boat ramp pontoon and approximately $225,000 towards a new boat ramp and pontoon at Keith Hall to cater for increasing demand from boaters who access the Richmond River.

Other projects in the region include upgrades to boating infrastructure such as boat ramps and adjacent boat trailer parking facilities, as well as jetties and pontoons.

The priority projects for Ballina will improve access for a range of boaters including those using canoes and other forms of paddlecraft, Minister Gay said.

Mr Page said this was about giving boaties in the Ballina electorate what they need which was better quality facilities and continual improvements in safety and accessibility.

“As the popularity of boating in the Ballina electorate continues to increase each year we need to act now to ensure the safety of boating in this region,” Mr Page said.

“We have worked extremely hard to get this right. Throughout the process, we’ve worked closely with everyday boaters, Councils, local sporting organisations and other key community groups so we could identify what the key issues are in each region.

“Thanks to the feedback received from our stakeholders, I’m confident that we now have some great plans to work with that are tailored to meet the needs of boaters in Ballina.

The NSW Government will now work with each Council and other delivery partners to finalise the scope of each project, including funding contributions and timeframes.

Projects funded under Boating Now in the Ballina electorate:

• Support development of Master Plan for Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour
• Upgrade Brunswick Street Boat Ramp, Ballina
• Investigate improvements to boating access facilities at Captain Cook Park, Ballina
• Support for development of project plan for Trawler Harbour, Ballina (Boatharbour Road)
• Extend pontoon at Fishery Creek Boat Ramp, Ballina
• New pontoon at Faulks Reserve, West Ballina
• Investigate access improvements at Emigrant Creek, West Ballina
• New boat ramp and pontoon at Keith Hall, Richmond River
• Upgrade Lennox Head boat ramp (North Creek Road)
• New pontoon at East Wardell Boat Ramp (Byron Street)

View the Tweed-Clarence Valley regional plan and the other ten regional plans at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/mmc

MEDIA: Siobhan McCarthy 0407 791 802 (Minister Gay)
Don Page (02) 6686 7522

View the original media release.