Recreational boating infrastructure
Queensland Transport provides boaties with access to Queensland waterways by delivering recreational boating infrastructure for Queenslanders in conjunction with local government, port authorities and private developers.
Queensland Transport manages Queensland's annual recreational boating infrastructure program of works. The program of works is commonly known as the Boating Infrastructure Capital and Maintenance Program. It is made up of annual funding allocated by the Queensland Government, as well as special funding from other sources like the Smart State Building Fund and Living the Queensland Lifestyle Policy.
Queensland Transport has responsibility for:
- managing five of the 11 state boat harbours throughout Queensland
- building new and improved recreational boating facilities
- maintaining existing infrastructure in a safe and usable condition
- providing policy and strategic direction for recreational boating infrastructure.
The joint partnership responsibility
While Queensland Transport provides funding for the water-based recreational boating facility (such as boat ramps and pontoons), the managing authority (local government or port authority) is responsible for providing the land-based facilities (such as car parks).
Local managing authorities are responsible for (outside state boat harbours):
- funding and maintenance of ancillary facilities (such as car and trailer parking, lighting and amenities blocks)
- general day-to-day maintenance of the water-based facility (such as boat ramps)
- limiting usage of facilities to genuine recreational boaties and to authorised users where load limits are not exceeded (5 tonne)
- maintaining the public marine facilities in good condition, to a standard appropriate to its use.
State boat harbours
There are currently 11 government owned state boat harbours, which were developed as part of a commitment by the government in the 1960s and 1970s to promote small craft activities along the Queensland coast.
Boat harbours were initially established for safe launching and mooring of vessels at approximately one day's sailing apart.
The harbours are managed on behalf of the state either by Queensland Transport, port authorities, or in one harbour (Port Douglas) by the local government.
Queensland Transport owns and maintains the public boating infrastructure (boat ramps, pontoons/jetties and breakwater) in these 11 harbours and is responsible for the maintenance of the entrance and internal navigation channels to these public boating facilities. The harbour managers are responsible for dredging the internal channels that service commercial areas within the harbours, and harbour lessees (such as marinas) are responsible for maintenance dredging within their water leases.
Queensland Transport manages and maintains five state boat harbours at the following locations:
- Mooloolaba
- Snapper Creek (Tin Can Bay)
- Urangan (Hervey Bay)
- Rosslyn Bay (near Yeppoon)
- Bowen
Queensland Transport manages its boat harbours on 'commercial principles'. Queensland Transport also provides other services (for example maintenance of public facilities and contract dredging) that have synergies with boat harbour management.
Boat harbours also service a number of key local industries, the foundation of regional marine employment.
The remainder of the state owned boat harbours are managed by Port Authorities and local government: Manly Boat Harbour, Cabbage Tree Creek Boat Harbour, Scarborough Boat Harbour, Burnett Heads Boat Harbour, Ross Creek Boat Harbour and Port Douglas is managed by the Douglas Shire Council.
Dredging initiatives
Queensland Transport is committed to maintaining navigable access in high use waterways for recreational boating
With the rapid increase in recreational boating activity on our Queensland waterways, the need for dredging is always in high demand. Each year, Queensland Transport receives many requests for dredging various waterways and navigation channels around Queensland. It would be prohibitively expensive and a huge ongoing maintenance issue for the state to provide all-tide, all-weather navigable access to all these waterways and channels. There can also be community or environmental constraints.
Queensland Transport's bid proposal process ensures these requests are prioritised on a statewide basis for allocation of available funds through the Boating Infrastructure Capital and Maintenance Program.
Process for new projects funded by Queensland Transport
The annual process for bid proposals for new projects is initiated by Queensland Transport through local managing authorities (councils and port authorities).
The first step in the process usually involves the local managing authority identifying a demand for a facility through requests from the boating community, progress associations, small craft organisations and other boating related agencies.
Managing authorities submit bids to Queensland Transport who assess statewide priority and funding availability. Compliant and successful bids are then included in the following three year rolling program of works.
Benefits
New and improved recreational boating infrastructure and dredging activities provide:
- safer and more efficient facilities for launching and retrieval of recreational vessels
- access to high use recreational boating facilities by maintaining reasonable water depths in the channels
- provision of landings (pontoons) at high use boat ramps of three or more lanes, located in sheltered. conditions.
What's happening across Queensland
The number of registered recreational vessels in Queensland is now around 220 000, making Queensland the nation's leader in registered recreational vessels.
The estimated annual revenue for recreational vessel registrations for 2007-08 is approximately A$14.5 million.
Queensland Government's commitment to the Boating Infrastructure Capital and Maintenance Program in 2007-08 and 2008-09 is over A$50 million, which includes over 190 projects scheduled for completion.
The funding will support new capital projects throughout Queensland. Listed below are some of the projects currently in the planning and delivery phase and are due for completion in 2007-08 and 2008-09:
South East Queensland
- The Spit, Muriel Henchman Drive (Gold Coast)—new pontoon
- Amity Point (Stradbroke Island)—new boat ramp
- Toondah Harbour (Cleveland) dredging
- Wellington Point dredging
Southern Queensland
- Woodgate boat ramp—new decking
- Howard boat ramp (old powerhouse site)—additional lane at ramp
- Gatakers Landing— new two lane boat ramp
Central Queensland
- Brampton and Lindeman Island jetties
- Hansen Road boat ramp—upgrade
- Tannum Sands (Ibis Park)—new single lane boat ramp
Northern Queensland
- Mourilyan boat ramp—relocation of existing ramp
- Marina Plains—new single lane boat ramp
- Mapoon (Cullen Point)—new single lane boat ramp
Have your say
Contact Queensland Transport via:
Email: boatinginfrastructure@transport.qld.gov.au
Phone: +61 7 3117 5652a
Mail: Boating Infrastructure Branch—Communications Officer
Queensland Transport
GPO Box 213
Brisbane Queensland 4001
aHigher rates apply from mobile phones and payphones. If calling outside of Queensland, STD rates will apply.
Last updated 02 June 2008
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