The Shire of Murray is set to overhaul a key local boating facility, with a major funding injection from the State Government paving the way for a new boat ramp and jetty at South Yunderup.
State Government Backs Boating Upgrade
The State Government has allocated $721,257 to the Shire of Murray for the project, which will see the ageing Batavia Quays Boat Ramp replaced and a new floating jetty installed. This funding is part of a broader $2.4 million package supporting seven regional boating facilities across Western Australia.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti highlighted the importance of the investment, noting the scheme's long history of supporting boat owners. "Our government recognises the important role of local boating facility managers in the delivery of high-quality facilities for recreational boat owners," Ms Saffioti said.
"Now in its 30th round, the recreational boating facilities scheme has delivered improvements at public boating facilities along our State’s coast which are servicing WA’s 100,000 boat owners," she added.
Building on Recent Improvements
This new project builds upon recent works at the same location. The shire previously utilised the recreational boating facilities scheme to open a floating jetty and gangway at the South Yunderup site in May 2023.
At the time of that earlier upgrade, the Shire of Murray indicated the design allowed for future expansion. "The design of the finger jetty installation allows for future expansion works including replacing the ramp and additional jetty options to enable the facility to meet future community need," a shire statement explained.
The latest funding will now bring those planned expansion works to fruition, directly addressing the core infrastructure of the boat ramp itself.
Community Reaction and Local Priorities
The announcement follows some community feedback that prioritised the ramp's repair. After the 2023 jetty installation, some locals expressed frustration on social media, arguing the ramp itself was the more pressing issue.
One resident commented, "Sorry folks but the ramp needed repairing first and foremost, it’s been buggered for years now. It’s a double ramp that can only be used down the middle (think ramp rage)."
Another added, "Nice look, but not so good for the locals using it trying to retrieve on a lopsided ramp, it should be a thing of the past." The new funding directly targets these concerns, promising a full replacement of the problematic ramp to improve launch and retrieval efficiency and safety.
The upgrade is funded in part by boat owners themselves, with Minister Saffioti pointing out that registration fees contribute to the scheme. "Boat owners also do their part, contributing to the scheme when they pay their boat registration fees, giving back to the community in the process," she said.
