Published Tuesday, 05 June, 2007 at 07:05 PM

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Paul Lucas

Budget boosts boating

A tide of new money, totalling almost $30 million, will be put to work on building better facilities for commercial shipping and recreational boat users in Queensland.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Minister, Paul Lucas, said the 2007-08 State Budget will pour $22.8 million into the upgrade of boat ramps, jetties, pontoons and boat harbours.

“Safety remains the Queensland Government’s number one priority on the water, that’s why we’ve putting $5.3 million into maritime safety systems and equipment.

"Queensland has more than 200,000 boats which are used purely for recreation.

“The budget ensures boaties from the Torres Strait to the New South Wales border have the convenient infrastructure they need to enjoy Queensland’s unique marine lifestyle in safety.

"Safe passage and efficient traffic management at port’s are critical to commercial shipping.

“But the State Government also has an obligation to protect our marine environment, particularly the Great Barrier Reef,” Mr Lucas said

The $5.3 million to boost safety and essential maritime services includes:

  • $2.75 million to buy two new pilot boats to transfer marine pilots on and off ships using ports at Weipa and Bundaberg. The Bundaberg boat will also be used for marine surveying
  • $450,000 to complete the $850,000 installation of vessel traffic system radar equipment to recognise ships entering trading ports at Hay Point near Mackay and Gladstone. The systems allow vessel traffic service centres in ports to monitor shipping traffic
  • $300,000 to design and start building a new centre in Townsville to monitor shipping traffic at Townsville and on the Great Barrier Reef
  • $250,000 towards design and construction of a building on Thursday Island to conduct training and house safety equipment as part of a Torres Strait maritime safety initiative

The major injection into boating infrastructure includes:

  • $5 million for work on Palm Island, including channel dredging, a new jetty and maintenance of the existing jetty head and barge ramp
  • $1.5 million to continue the construction of a new disposal area for dredged material at the Port Douglas Boat Harbour
  • $1.9 million to redevelop the Quintell Beach Barge Ramp at Lockhart River on Cape York Peninsula
  • more than $3 million to upgrade boating facilities and plan or conduct dredging to make boating channels safer at: Burketown-Truganini Landing Jetty at Burketown; Karumba Point Boat Ramp; Daintree River Boat Ramp on Cape Tribulation Road; Landsborough St Wharf at Normanton; Mourilyan Boat Harbour Boat Ramp near Innisfail; Innisfail Jetty; Groper Creek Settlement jetty in the Burdekin; Toomulla Beach north of Townsville; Brampton Island and Lindeman Island jetties; Bowen Boat Harbour; Victor Creek boat ramp at Seaforth north of Mackay; Port Binnli Pontoon near Mackay; Rosslyn Bay near Yeppoon; Hanson Road Boat Ramp at Gladstone; Buccaneer Pontoon at Urangan; and Mooloolaba Boat Harbour.

"This Budget is an investment in saving lives, property and the environment, as well as underwriting the ongoing competitiveness of our lucrative export industries," Mr Lucas said.

Media contact: Robert Hoge 3237 1942 or

Darren Roberts 3237 1947