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 Tweed Heads Boat Maintenance Facility.
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said work on the new 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.
“The new facility will include a new hard stand area and an upgrade of the slipway to accommodate a 75-tonne boat travel lift. The slipway and boat travel lift 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 better services and equipment would improve safety for all users while the installation of a commercial wastewater system would help protect the Tweed marine environment.
“The old slipway, which has been in operation since the 1960s, will need to be replaced as it is deteriorating, has reduced lifting capacity and could only cater for a small number and range of vessels,” Mr Provest said.
“The new boat travel lift will include 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 which is wider than a standard 75–tonne boat travel lift.
“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,” Mr Provest said.
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