Pelican Boat Ramp

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Consultation has concluded

Lake Macquarie City Council has developed an improved design proposal for the Pelican Boat Ramp that better adapts to the dynamic marine environment.

The revised ramp design features two boat lanes with twin wave-attenuating pontoons that will create a protected harbour for launching and retrieval of boats.

David Hughes, Council’s Director of Built and Natural Assets, said Council adapted the design developed last year to address worsening erosion at this location.

“Detailed investigations by the contractor, including hydrographic surveys, wave load assessment and modelling of the channel, revealed the erosive forces to be even greater than initially perceived,” Mr Hughes said.

“This area of the Lake is a very dynamic environment that poses many design and construction challenges. The new design is more appropriate to this environment and offers better functionality, providing two boat lanes with separate pontoons for each.

“The boat ramp design is the first stage of a multi-stage program to adapt the Pelican foreshore and other assets to the forces of nature that drive the erosion dynamics in the channel.

“Later stages will be part of a longer-term solution that will involve Council, local landowners and government agencies that have responsibilities and interests in the Lake.”

The Mayor of Lake Macquarie, Councillor Kay Fraser, said the design allows Council to move forward with a solution for the boat ramp while it continues to investigate options to address the problem of erosion in the area and plan for the future.

“Erosion in this part of the Lake is a long-term problem and Council already has work under way to look at how we can manage the issues associated with channel evolution,’ Cr Fraser said.

“We are undertaking detailed analysis and design for foreshore protection works under the Pelican Foreshore Stabilisation Project and are working with the community to develop an Adaptation Plan for Pelican and Blacksmiths to prepare for the impacts of flooding, erosion and sea-level rise.”

Pelican Boat Ramp was closed in October 2015 due to the effects of tidal erosion and damage incurred in the super storm of April that year.

Lake Macquarie City Council has developed an improved design proposal for the Pelican Boat Ramp that better adapts to the dynamic marine environment.

The revised ramp design features two boat lanes with twin wave-attenuating pontoons that will create a protected harbour for launching and retrieval of boats.

David Hughes, Council’s Director of Built and Natural Assets, said Council adapted the design developed last year to address worsening erosion at this location.

“Detailed investigations by the contractor, including hydrographic surveys, wave load assessment and modelling of the channel, revealed the erosive forces to be even greater than initially perceived,” Mr Hughes said.

“This area of the Lake is a very dynamic environment that poses many design and construction challenges. The new design is more appropriate to this environment and offers better functionality, providing two boat lanes with separate pontoons for each.

“The boat ramp design is the first stage of a multi-stage program to adapt the Pelican foreshore and other assets to the forces of nature that drive the erosion dynamics in the channel.

“Later stages will be part of a longer-term solution that will involve Council, local landowners and government agencies that have responsibilities and interests in the Lake.”

The Mayor of Lake Macquarie, Councillor Kay Fraser, said the design allows Council to move forward with a solution for the boat ramp while it continues to investigate options to address the problem of erosion in the area and plan for the future.

“Erosion in this part of the Lake is a long-term problem and Council already has work under way to look at how we can manage the issues associated with channel evolution,’ Cr Fraser said.

“We are undertaking detailed analysis and design for foreshore protection works under the Pelican Foreshore Stabilisation Project and are working with the community to develop an Adaptation Plan for Pelican and Blacksmiths to prepare for the impacts of flooding, erosion and sea-level rise.”

Pelican Boat Ramp was closed in October 2015 due to the effects of tidal erosion and damage incurred in the super storm of April that year.