Community & Business
19 June, 2022
New Newell boat ramp open
NEWELL locals will now have an easier time loading and unloading their boats with the $3.5 million Newell Beach boat ramp facilities upgrade, completed just in time to enjoy the start of the peak reef fishing season.
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui was on hand to open the new facility alongside Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr recently.
The new facility features a causeway, a two-lane boat ramp with a central fixed walkway and a much-needed fishing platform.
Ms Lui drew back to the original meeting of discussing a new ramp in 2017 with beach locals Bill Allison and Cr Roy Zammataro where Mr Allison shared some common plights when returning from fishing.
“We stood at the old ramp and they pointed out the problems that they had using it,” Ms Lui said.
“In particular, Bill told the story about how one day, his boat got stuck in the mud as he was coming home from a day’s fishing and he had to get out of the boat and drag it to the edge of the ramp.
“He pointed out the crocodiles that live on the other side of the river and I knew that there had to be better way.
“This boat ramp is a significant piece of social infrastructure that will be well used by the many boaties and fishers in the Douglas Shire well into the future.”
