Commercial fishing vessels, tourist operators and local boaters will have safer and improved access to the Tweed River following construction of a new $7.5 million boat maintenance facility.
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said work on the new Tweed Heads facility would start later this month and once completed would be a significant boost for maritime operations as well as local and visiting boaters at the popular holiday spot.
“Better services, facilities and equipment will improve safety for all users while the installation of a commercial wastewater system will help protect the Tweed marine environment.
“The new upgrades will increase local use of the boat maintenance facility and improve community access to the river,” Mr Elliott said.
Member for Tweed Geoff Provest said the old slipway, which had been in operation since the 1960s, was deteriorating, had reduced lifting capacity and could only cater for a small number and range of vessels.
“The new facilities will be a great boost for the local community,” Mr Provest said.
“The boat travel lift will include a new hard stand area and an upgrade of the slipway to accommodate a 75-tonne boat travel lift, over-water lift platforms, service pontoons and an access gangway while the boat travel lift is custom-built to have an internal width of 8.4 metres.
“The works will involve demolishing the existing boat maintenance facility, including the slipway rails, winch and cradle and workshop before replacing them with a new office building and storage container.”
The upgraded boat maintenance facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. More information about the project can be found here.
