Conducted two surveys at the local boatramps at Batemans Bay.  More than 50% of vessels are towed by out of state vehicles.  Punt Road boat ramp before and after Christmas was full and people had to prepare vessels in the road. 

The majority of vessels were jet ski.  All disappointed no washdown facilities.

Clyde street boat ramp 80% full of vessels destined to fish up the river.  Disappointed they could not wash their engines out after travelling in river - concerned that they may contaminate other estuaries. 

Hanging Rock was coping rather well with the increased volume and extra floating pontoons.  Parking working well except a number of cars without trailers taking up valuable space.

All vessels using washdown ignored water restrictions stating "why water restrictions when the dams are full?"  Sign is too small at location.

When surveyed all boat owners had never used the local toilet (they have onboard facilities)   Not a single person  had ever used an onsite BBQ or pick-nick facility at any NSW boat ramp.

All respondents want more floating pontoons if no beach adjacent and clear road marking showing preparation areas and washown facilities.

 Why is it that the Bega Valley Council see the value of the sea and their estuaries and the Eurobodalla Shire Council does nothing with this valuable asset and the attraction it has to locals and visitors?

Here is a further example of what they are doing in Merimbula Boardwalk along with the foreshore enhancement at Bermagui harbour.

Have a look and ask why not us?  Then remember to pressure the new Councillors to direct the GM and her Directors to apply for funds to enhance our foreshore.

https://begavalley.nsw.gov.au/cp_themes/default/page.asp...

 Punt Road Boat Ramp progressing

Again this is not fake news neither is it some political spin but just progress by John Holland to finish the new bridge contract.

The questions to be asked is will the new boating environment along the northern shore of the Clyde River be better than we had before this concrete four pile in the river monstrosity was built?  Short answer no but why?

In the old days we had a boat ramp paid for by Boating Now funds taken from the boat licences for NSW boaters and fishers.  It was “upgraded” a few years before the bridge construction was started by the local Eurobodalla Council and the car park was resurfaced, a BBQ shelter and seating was installed and new shiny stainless steel steps were added so the infermed could access the beach.  The fish cleaning table stayed the same as did the boatramp itself.

The boatramp had one major advantage in that is was adjacent to a beach so people could launch their vessels and secure it to the beach when they parked their trainers.  It had one major disadvantage in that due to its location the sand from the river built up on the surface and surrounds so it was not safe for non-four-wheel drive vehicles to launch at low tide.  But in general it was an easy facility to use when smaller vessel from north of the bridge wanted to traverse the upper reaches of the Clyde.

That all changed during the construction of the bridge.  Firstly Transport for NSW intermittently closed the boat ramp to all vessels during the construction phase – still closed today.  Secondly they put forward a civil roads design which must have come from someone who has never towed a boat trailer or even observed how a boatramp works.  It is a complete mess with two sets of round-abouts and a boat parking area unusable by anyone but a competent reversing experience.

Did they consult with the community?  - No. Did they receive well thought out submissions? - Yes a number,  even one on the back of cardboard container from a slab of beer.  One came from an urban designer in close consultation with the boating community – see photo.

BUT did they listen and take note – well, we will have to see but the current indications are they bulldozed ahead with their original design put forward in the Batemans Bay project Urban Design and Landscape Plan 12 August 2019.  The Foreshore Advisory Committee was led up the garden path and told this whole area would be upgraded and we would get improved facilities.  We received a visit from the State Labour Minister who came to see the proposals and to talk about what they could do behind the scenes to rectify the situation…

What did the boating and fishing community propose as a solution to this urban design.  The north flowing off-ramp come down from the highway parallel to the new bridge and meet the Punt Road at a T-intersection so that the vehicles and trailers could cross this and enter the preparation area.  Here the boats could remove the tie-down and fit their rods and oars ready to launch.  Then move forward to a special area and reverse down the upgraded wider boat ramp right into the water.  Adjacent to the ramp would be a walk-on and a floating pontoon to secure the vessel and permit less able crew to get on board while the driver parked the trailer in the designated spots.  

On returning to the boatramp the master would secure the vessel to the boatramp and then retrieve the trailer to pull the vessel out of the water.  They would then stop at the wash-down area to rinse out the engines and wash off any harmful weeds picked up while on the water so as not to transferred disease and contaminants to another waterway which may even ruin the local oyster industry.

SO what does it appear will be delivered?  Well for a start there will be no change to the actual boat ramp.  It is still narrow and will sand up.  There will be no addition of a floating pontoon for the safety of boaters.  There will be no wash-down area with available water because in Eurobodalla we still have water restrictions that forbids us washing our vessels in situ.  

There will be a torturous route to get to the boatramp with the likelihood vessel trailers will be damaged by curbs and finally there will be less parking spots than we originally had and we will now have to put on our hiking boots just to reach the new “improved” toilet block sited even further away than the original.

You may ask have the boating and fishing community benefited by the new bridge and the Foreshore upgrade plan?  In a word NO.

Have a look at the Associations web site for further lost opportunities at https://boatersassociation.blogspot.com/.../lost...

 Floating Pontoons for the Batemans Bay Foreshore

This is not fake news neither is it some politician standing on our foreshore holding a graphic depiction some promise for some future development.  This may just be the real thing – but don't hold your breath for it to be completed for this summer holiday period.

John Holland is driving in a number of piles to hold an on-ramp and some floating pontoons along the foreshore of the Bay Central Business District.  BUT it will not be completed by the end of this year according to a reliable source within the organisation.

These floating pontoons are close to the water and run parallel to the foreshore walking path.  They permit vessels and kayaks to come alongside and tie-up to access the shops, restaurants, take-away and toilets on our foreshore.  Being lower than a concrete wharf they make it easy for old and young to get into and off a vessel when they are secured to these structures.  They may also be used by a cruise ship lighter when they bring their guest ashore to spend dollars in our community.  For the boating community it gives greater access to Batemans Bay and to the young fishing group they can easily cast a line in the hope of catching their dinner.  A win-win for everybody.

The Batemans Bay Boaters Association has been campaigning for these pontoons – like a wharf but floating, ever since we were part of the new bridge foreshore advisory committee however what was proposed by Transport for NSW as part of the contract let to John Holland was the removal of the more than 50 year old dilapidated concrete wharf and the replacement with a number of floating pontoons connected via a walkway.

The whole boating and fishing community was pleased by that outcome not only because of the location but it was a great improvement to the current structure.  But then the “power-that-be” behind the scenes started to work and before we knew it we found out that a selected “consultant-engineer” had done an independent survey and found that the concrete was despite the obvious disfiguration and rust marks, the structure was sound and good for many more years.

Now, in stepped the local Council who predictably appointed an out-of-town/state consultant group to develop a strategic plan for the Bay Foreshore.  They did all the box-ticking actions like a survey, community consultation, discussion with stakeholders and finally developed a DRAFT plan which was put out for more community input and submissions.  The normal wait as we all expected some radical changes to the preliminary draft as the boating and fishing groups make well argued submission as how to improve this draft document.

The Association had previously written a document “A game changer for the Bay CBD”   https://drive.google.com/.../1fWM1Z.../view and submitted it to the Local Member and then current Minister in Charge of Transport, to John Holland and of course to Council.  It was well received although the Minister stated that he was too busy to read it himself but may be briefed by his Department.

In August 2020 Council call for presentations at one of their Meetings and the Association and many other made the obligatory 7 minute presentation and waited for the final document.  A note for those who follow Council the now ex-Mayor was not at this Council Meeting presentation but Jack Tait asked one of his more searching questions:  “Why was I not invited to the foreshore meeting?” Open your email was the answer.  Our presentation can be read here https://boatersassociation.blogspot.com/.../draft...

The draft was published and to our surprise there was a recommendation to build a new on-ramp and floating pontoons on the foreshore of the CBD.  Who would do the construction and who would pay for the structure….. the boating community does not know.  And what of the concrete wharf?  Well it will remain to be used by the local ferry and other commercial vessels for refuelling and other services.

In October 2020 Minister Andrew Constance announced that the floating pontoons would go head on the foreshore.  https://boatersassociation.blogspot.com/.../floating...

We will have to wait to be informed when the new floating pontoons will be opened and by whom.  May be the ex-local member accompanied by the ex-mayor and her entourage.