Works to replace the pontoon and repair the boat ramp in Ocean Grove will be completed before the holiday season.
Works will begin in October and be completed in November and include repairs to improve its functionality and provide greater protection against future weather events in part thanks to stronger, more robust piles.
The ageing pontoon has been impacted by weather events and ageing.
The boat ramp repair work will provide better boating access to the lower reaches of the Barwon River as well as a host of fishing opportunities offshore. Ocean Grove Coast Watch also relies on the ramp and pontoons to undertake its marine search and rescue operations.
“Ocean Grove is a popular holiday boating destination for families right across the state – so these works will provide a huge benefit by making it easier to get out on the water,” Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville said.
“The repairs to the boat ramp and replacement of the pontoon will also mean a more functional facility for boaters that’s designed to provide better protection against weather events including summer storms.”
Better Boating Victoria provided funding in 2021 to the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) to progress designs to replace the southern pontoon.
In June 2022, CoGG also received a grant for a further $120,000 for repair work on the boat ramp’s northern pontoon through the Labor government’s Better Boating Fund Structural Maintenance Grants Program.
CoGG has appointed Elstone Diving Services to complete the works, with construction scheduled to begin in October and finish in November ahead of families flocking to the area for the busy summer holiday period.
The works will be staged so the temporary pontoons currently in place remain available.
