One of Victoria’s most iconic freshwater fisheries will be made safer and easier to access thanks to the Victorian Government’s investment in significant boating upgrades.
Labor Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP today announced $58,000 for the detailed design work on the new boat ramp at South Beach, Lake Bullen Merri.
The design contract has been awarded to BMT Engineering, one of Australia’s leading marine environmental engineering firms.
The initial concept designs have already been drawn up and will inform the detailed design for the project, which will include a double lane ramp with a central floating pontoon.
The upgrade will also include features that address ongoing sedimentation issues in the area – ensuring safe long-term access to the lake.
Before detailed designs could be drawn up, exploratory work was needed to understand the issues affecting the existing ramp – including wind driven waves, local underwater processes, lakebed profile and the effects of a receding lake level.
The information collected from those studies showed specific features such as groynes will be needed as part of the final design, which will be finished by later this year.
The Lake Bullen Merri South Beach Committee of Management has been consulting stakeholders during the development of the concept design and will continue to do so as the project progresses.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP
“Thousands of boaters and fishers visit this iconic lake every year and this upgrade will ensure they have better and safer access to this much-loved area for years to come.”
“Recreational boating supports almost 18,000 jobs and is worth $4.5 billion a year to the Victorian economy, and it’s important we reinvest boating fees back into infrastructure that supports this vital industry.”