WHERE are we going to put all of the boats?
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There are almost 20,000 registered boats in Lake Macquarie, and not enough places to store them.
Moorings and marina berths are in high demand, and sheltered bays around the lake are increasingly cluttered with various types of boat.
Even tinnies kept on public foreshores have become a growing environmental problem.
It’s why the state government has drafted a strategy pitching potential solutions to the boat storage problem.
Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper is inviting the community to provide feedback on the draft Lake Macquarie Boat Storage Strategy.
It outlines a number of options for improving boat storage capacity, as well as public access along the lake foreshore where tinnies are often stored.
Some of the storage options identified include:
- redefining existing mooring boundaries;
- investigating new mooring areas;
- trialling multiple-vessel mooring systems;
- investigating options to establish public marinas;
- identifying locations for dry storage racks; and
- introducing pilot dinghy ID and share schemes.
“There are currently 19,800 registered vessels in the Lake Macquarie area,” Mr Piper said.
The expansion of the marina at Marmong Point, and construction of the marina at Trinity Point will boost the boat storage capacity on the lake, but demand is expected to continue to grow.
“We are seeing a growth in that number and we’re expecting demand for storage facilities to increase in the future.
“This draft strategy tries to find a balance between meeting this expected demand, the environmental impacts of boat storage facilities, and the need to protect the local environment for the benefit of future generations.”
He’s encouraging locals to get involved in the consultation process.
In 2014, a draft boating plan for Lake Macquarie described the city as a “powerhouse” for growth in recreational boating in NSW.
It said growth in boating was expected to increase by between 3 and 5 per cent each year, just above the state average of 2.9 per cent.
Feedback on the Draft Lake Macquarie Boat Storage Strategy can be delivered via an online survey at transport.nsw.gov.au/lakemacquarieboatstorage8202
People are also welcome to drop in to either of the community information sessions which will be hosted by Transport for NSW during the consultation period.
These sessions will be held at:
- Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, Belmont, on Wednesday, February 8, from 5pm to 7pm; and
- Royal Motor Yacht Club, Toronto, on Thursday, February 9, from 5pm to 7pm.
The community can provide feedback by attending a community information session, emailing lakemacquarieboatstorage@transport.nsw.gov.au, or completing the online survey at transport.nsw.gov.au/lakemacquarieboatstorage
Feedback will be used to help finalise the boat storage strategy.
The consultation period closes on Sunday, February 19.