A $3 million upgrade of the Woolllamia Boat Ramp facility will be complete and ready for action prior to Christmas.
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The facility in Currambene Creek, north of Huskisson, has undergoing a major redevelopment, and will be ready in time for the major tourist influx over the Christmas/New Year period.
Local firm Jirgens Civil, who also completed the Nowra Sails project in the Shoalhaven River, won the tender to design and undertake the work which has seen the Woollamia wharf upgraded to a Class 25 load rated facility.
The work has also included the installation of 45 linear metres of floating pontoons while the boat ramp itself has also undergone an upgrade with an increase in length and an increase in load rating to allow the existing ramp to cater for larger vessels.
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Rock embedment, installed and designed in collaboration with the NSW DPI, has also enabled a habitat creation for the Eastern Estuary Cod.
The upgraded works will allow some of the local boat repair businesses to also use the boat ramp facilities.
As well as the general public the upgrades will also help the many local businesses who also use the location - the likes of the paddleboard school, dinghy and boat hire, dive groups and even government agencies like the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries and NSW Police.
The project design was started in August with construction work beginning in September.
While the wharf has been closed to the public during the work, the boat ramp was only closed for a two-week period during the upgrade.
While the wharf will be open to the public for the Christmas period, the final surface coating will be completed in January.
Shoalhaven City Council's Economic Development manager, working within the City Futures Directorate, Greg Pullen said the project has been possible due to funding from the state and federal governments.
"That funding has been in various combinations and we are proud to have used local contract for the most part of the project," he said.
"This will enhance both the recreational boating side and the commercial operators who provide employment in the Jervis Bay area.
"And as a result of these being expanded more employment will be created."
The latest work compliments the vessel repair and maintenance facility hard stand which has also been constructed at the location.
"Works will continue on those facilities in 2021 to provide ongoing maintenance facilities operated by a contracted shipwright," Mr Pullen said.
That project will also include a heavy lift, 20 tonne, trailer to retrieve and return boats to the water after maintenance.
"Additional sheds etc will also be built during the first half of next year at that location for that facility," Mr Pullen said.
A 22-space car park has recently been completed by another local firm, Hisway, to the west of the boat ramp.
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