By Molly Magennis
Up to $2 million in funding will be made available for boat ramp managers in the west to undertake structural maintenance thanks to the Victorian government.
The Recreational Structural Maintenance Program, run by Better Boating Victoria (BBV), will be run as a competitive grants program and is open to ramp managers required to undertake structural maintenance and asset replacement works at publicly accessible boating facilities.
A review conducted by BBV into boating infrastructure management found that facilities across Port Phillip and Western Port vary in consistency, and that replacing and maintaining boating facilities can be costly for managers who do not have direct funding support.
The grants, delivered under the government’s Better Boating Fund will be worth up to $300,000 each and can be used for a variety of purposes including installing more user-friendly pontoons or to lay down a new boat ramp surface.
The program is open to committees of management and local waterway authorities, along with state and local government departments and agencies.
Member for Williamstown and Minister for fishing and boating Melissa Horne said it is critical for boaters to have safe and user-friendly facilities when launching or retrieving their vessels.
“This is just another way we are ensuring boating registration and licensing fees are reinvested into projects that will make recreational boating in Victoria even better.”
The Recreational Boating Structural Maintenance Program grants applications are now open and close on Wednesday, March 23.
Details: betterboating.vic.gov.au/news/structural-maintenance-grants
