CONFIRMING VICTORIA’S BOATING PRIORITIES Port Phillip and Western Port betterboating.vic.gov.au BETTER BOATING VICTORIA: Identifying and prioritising your recreational boating requirements PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT Introducing the Better Boating Fund The Victorian Government has established the Better Boating Fund. The amount going into the Better Boating Fund will be the equivalent of all revenue generated from marine licences and vessel registration. We are developing the Victorian Recreational We’ve analysed your feedback and consolidated Boating Strategy to provide an overarching it across eight districts across Victoria – this vision and plan to ensure our recreational document focuses on Port Phillip and Western boating priorities are identified and prioritised, Port. We now need boaters to confirm boating so funding is allocated accordingly when the priorities so we can build this into a draft Better Boating Fund commences on 1 July 2021. Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy that we will seek feedback mid-year. We have started developing the strategy and have already consulted with key stakeholders We have highlighted the priorities you have and boating users to identify the priorities. identified as important and seek your feedback This public consultation took place between on the questions presented in each priority area. 29 January – 20 February 2021 via an You can complete these questions by visiting: online survey. engage.vic.gov.au/rec-boating-strategy WIMMERA AND MALLEE NORTH GOULBURN NORTH CENTRAL BROKEN EAST EAST GIPPSLAND SOUTH WEST PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT SOUTH AND CENTRAL GIPPSLAND 2 betterboating.vic.gov.au Overview of Port Phillip and Western Port 4.2 million The Port Phillip and Western Port region contains a variety of waterways and has over 600km of coast fronting Port Phillip, The Port Phillip and Western Port region Western Port and Bass Strait. is home to 4.2 million people Approximately 70% of recreational boating users are concentrated in the Port Phillip and Western Port areas or inlets, serviced by more than 122 private and public boating facilities. These range from single lane informal ramps to larger, multiple ramp boating facilities. Port Phillip and Western Port represent the busiest waterways in Victoria, with four out of five Victorians visiting these ports every year, pursuing a range of water-based recreational activities. Four out of five Victorians visiting Given the high level of recreational usage and these ports every year multiple activities, including commercial activities, Port Phillip and Western Port are considered high risk waterways. As a result, there is extensive formal access arrangements, infrastructure and local operating rules in place. It is also a highly populated area and, in some sections, there are limited opportunities for future development. 70% Approximately 70% of recreational boating users are concentrated in the Port Phillip and Western Port areas or inlets Serviced by more than 122 private and public boating facilities 3 PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT Economic benefits Port Phillip and Western Port provide substantial economic, environmental and social benefits for the region and for Victoria. The coastal areas of Port Phillip and Western Port Bay provide substantial economic value, particularly in and around Melbourne. Both locations support commercial fisheries and are home to operating ports of international significance. Port Phillip and Western Port are popular recreational destinations for residents and tourists, with around 90 million visits each year. Recreational licensing General Above 80 and vessel analysis 66 - 80 There are 270,000+ licence 56 - 65 holders registered in the Port Phillip and Western Port District. 46 - 55 36 - 45 26 - 35 16 - 25 12 - 15 Restricted 12 - 15 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 General - Male General - Female PWC Endorsed - Male PWC Endorsed - Female Vessel types registered in this Open (56.8%) district, there are 108,000+ in the Port Phillip and Western Half Cabin (17.8%) Port District. Personal Water Craft (17.5%) Cabin Cruiser (3.6%) Yacht (Keel Boat) (1.9%) Trailer Sailer (1.2%) Hovercraft (0.6%) Houseboat (0.5%) Canoe (0.1%) Ski Boat (0%) 4 betterboating.vic.gov.au Existing access facilities There are more than 120 recreational boating facilities located across Port Phillip and Western Port, of which 56 are public facilities. These facilities are managed by multiple Crown land committees of management that include local government, volunteer or other income generating committees of management and Parks Victoria. Popularity Based on peak summer period, the Boating Vic website was analysed for ramp popularity with results as follows: Boating Victoria Page Views Pykes Creek Reservoir (Nov 2019 – Feb 2021) High Moderate Low Melton Reservoir Very low Newport The Warmies Brighton Altona Lake Karkarook Werribee South Black Rock Point Wilson Kirk Point Mordialloc Creek Portarlington Port Phillip Bay Patterson River Geelong Grammar School Lagoon Avalon Beach Fairfax Street Portarlington Point Richards St Helens Indented Heads Frankston Kananook Creek Geelong Limeburners Point Clifton Springs Frankston Olivers Hill Cannons Creek St Leonards Tooradin Swan Bay Warneet Lake Connewarre – Tait Point Mornington Schnapper Point Blind Bight Mornington Linely Point Barwon Head – River Parade Barwon River Ocean Grove Western Port Bay Hastings Lang Lang Barwon River– Minah Street Safety Beach Sorrento Rye Anthony Nose Capel Sound Stony Point Tyrone Avenue Corinella Grantville Shoreham Coronet Bay Cowes Rhyll Flinders Newhaven Seaview Street 5 PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT Economic benefits Vessel ownership Vessel ownership around Port Phillip and Western Port is concentrated around the Geelong City Council and Mornington Peninsula, followed City of Casey, Yarra Ranges, Wyndam, Hume, Whittlesea and Kingston. Hume Whittlesea Yarra Ranges Wyndham Knox Kingston Greater Geelong Number of Casey registered vessels 0 – 1,000 1,000 – 2,000 2,000 – 4,000 4,000 – 6,000 6,000 – 8,000 Mornington Peninsula 8,000 – 10,000 6 betterboating.vic.gov.au Future demand Port Phillip and Western Port Population increase across Melbourne and Throughout various discussions, supported by surrounding suburbs and demographic feedback you gave us in a public consultation changes are likely to place greater pressures that took place between 29 January – on boating facilities. Current car parking and 20 February 2021, we’ve heard that the trailer parking capacity is insufficient at some boating experience needs to be enhanced. facilities, an issue that is exacerbated by some Improvements to recreational boating councils enforcing a vehicle size limit for on across Port Phillip and Western Port include street parking. the following: Reducing congestion Facility renewal New facilities Access Berthing and moorings Maintenance and management of facilities Marine search and rescue Boating safety and education Boating Promotion 7 PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT Reducing congestion Car parking Longer pontoons/jetties Port Phillip and Western Port facilities and extra ramp lanes average 50 car and trailer spaces per Longer pontoons and extra ramp location. To improve carparking and lanes are needed to disperse reduce congestion, we need to find bottlenecks that occur during peak opportunities to expand and improve launching and retrieval periods. overflow parking. Opportunities to provide additional parking, longer pontoons and jetties, and new ramp lanes are identified below: Legend Proposed overflow Newport The Warmies carpark improvements Proposed longer Brighton pontoon/jetty Altona Proposed additional ramp lanes Werribee South Black Rock Point Wilson Kirk Point Port Phillip Bay Portarlington Patterson River Avalon Beach Fairfax Street Portarlington Point Richards Portarlington Grassy Point Geelong Limeburners Point Clifton Springs St Leonards Tooradin Warneet Mornington Schnapper Point Blind Bight Western Port Bay Hastings Lang Lang Safety Beach Sorrento Rye Stony Point Cowes 8 betterboating.vic.gov.au Partnership opportunities Opportunities to partner with local government and private facilities to alleviate demand and congestion should be considered. Availability of Overflow car Trial shuttle Dry private facilities parking services stacking Seek out opportunities Seek out opportunities Seek out opportunities Seek out opportunities to enter into to identify other to shuttle boaters from to support dry stacking arrangements during overflow car parking vehicles to boat ramps ventures, to alleviate specified peak period opportunities with with cooperative the demand on our with private facilities to local governments. councils. launch facilities. make them available to the public. Boating Vic cameras Boating Vic app can be checked before leaving home to confirm parking availability and business of facility. To ensure more boaters can make informed decisions at the touch of a button, we’re now planning to launch additional Boating Vic ramp cameras at more key boating hotspots. It is proposed to expand the current network to new locations as identified below: The Warmies Legend Existing camera location North Road Brighton Altona Planned camera location Suggested new camera Werribee South locations Black Rock Mordialloc Creek Port Phillip Bay Patterson River Point Richards St Helens Beach Kananook Creek Limeburners Point Clifton Springs Olivers Hill St Leonards Barwon River Schnapper Point Ocean Grove Queenscliff Queenscliff Entrance Western