Marion Bay boat launch facility to be open for Easter
A new $3.04 million boat launching facility at Marion Bay is expected to be operational in time for Easter. The long-awaited project, at the popular gateway to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, will feature a six-metre-wide ramp for large boats, a four-metre-wide ramp for small to medium boats, a walkway, and wave calming infrastructure.
Final asphalt works on the carpark will take place this week, with boat launching access maintained, but users asked to follow on-site instructions regrading access and the parking of vehicles and trailers.
Funding for the new ramp was secured in 2023, and replaces a single concrete launch site, which had long-proved inadequate for tourism and fishing sectors as well as local sea rescue vessels.
Yorke Peninsula Council Mayor, Darren Braund, acknowledged the community’s patience throughout the construction process
and addressed concerns regarding seaweed accumulation at the ramp.
“The beaches along the south coast are currently covered in seaweed, and while the new facility cannot prevent this natural event, Council ensures it is regularly cleared to maintain usability,” he said.
Council is monitoring the impacts of the wave attenuators and can remove sections if needed to help seagrass wrack movement along the beach.
The ramp design was approved after an extensive coastal modelling process undertaken over two years, including wave data collection, sand movement analysis, and numerical modelling to assess hydrodynamics, littoral drift, and seagrass wrack aggregation.
“Our focus has always been to create a facility that serves the needs of local and visiting boaties, while being mindful of environmental factors,” Mayor Braund said.
“Council appreciates the community’s cooperation and looks forward to welcoming boaties to the Marion Bay boat ramp.”
Following the completion of the carpark, final works will take place on the ramp, allowing both lanes to be fully open.
