Boaters will benefit from improved access to the water at Lake Bullen Merri near Camperdown (Victoria), thanks to an upgrade of the boat ramp facility – which is just weeks away from completion.
Minister for Fishing and Boating Sonya Kilkenny today visited the South Beach boat ramp – which is being replaced with a new two-lane concrete boat ramp to boost capacity, improve safety and make launching easier for vessels.
Works on the $2.5 million upgrade began in April and includes the installation of a new pontoon, construction of an underwater retaining wall, a new access ramp and turning circle.
The retaining wall will help reduce wave driven sedimentation at the ramp, while the new pontoon will make it easier to tie up when launching.
The upgrade is being funded through the Andrews Labor Government’s Better Boating Fund. Plans for the upgrade were developed by Corangamite Shire Council and the South Beach Foreshore Committee of Management in conjunction with Better Boating Victoria (BBV), which is overseeing the biggest boat ramp construction program in the state’s history and has made it free to launch at Victorian ramps.
Lake Bullen Merri is a popular freshwater fishing destination for a range of trout, is one of only two lakes stocked with Chinook salmon by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and also receives Australian bass.
A total of 4,000 yearling brown trout grown at the VFA’s Snobs Creek hatchery has also just been released, as part of the Labor Government’s $35m Go Fishing Victoria plan to get more people fishing more often.
At nearby Lake Purrumbete, new pontoons are being installed as part of a $312,000 project to replace existing holding structures at the lake. The Lake Purrumbete Foreshore Committee of Management received funding through the 2020-21 Boating Safety and Facilities Program to carry out the work, which is expected to be complete in coming weeks.
In the south-west, the Minister today also visited the Boggy Creek Road boat ramp at Curdievale – which is benefiting boaters, locals and visitors after being upgraded earlier this year. BBV provided $136,000 in funding to Moyne Shire Council to lay down asphalt on the access road and improve the carpark.
Minister for Fishing and Boating Sonya Kilkenny said “We know Lake Bullen Merri is a much-loved destination for boaters and fishers – which is why this upgrade has been critical to boosting safety and providing better and easier access to the water.”
“It’s great to see this project nearly complete and will provide a huge benefit to locals and visitors to the area.”
Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney said “There’s so many spots to go boating in our region – from the lakes to the rivers and at coastal ramps – and our investment to improve these facilities means it’s easier for families to spend time on the water.”
For more information about Victoria’s Better Boating program and boat ramp upgrades, visit https://betterboating.vic.gov.au/
