Glenelg Shire Council Portland Marine Master Plan Prepared by Biruu for the consideration of Glenelg Shire Council and the Victorian and Australian Governments 1 June 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 4 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PORTLAND MARINE MASTER PLAN ........................................................... 6 1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE MARINE MASTER PLAN .......................................................................................... 6 1.3 STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................................ 7 1.4 WHAT FOLLOWS .................................................................................................................................. 7 2 CONTEXT OF THE LOCAL PORT ........................................................................................................... 8 2.1 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 PORTLAND AND GLENELG SHIRE .......................................................................................................... 8 2.3 HERITAGE ......................................................................................................................................... 12 2.4 GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE LOCAL PORT ....................................................................... 14 2.5 COASTAL STRATEGY, COASTAL ACTION PLANS AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLANS ............................ 15 2.6 PORT OF PORTLAND PTY LTD ............................................................................................................. 16 2.7 OTHER PORTS ................................................................................................................................... 16 2.8 LOCAL PORT OF PORTLAND BAY ........................................................................................................ 17 2.9 CONSULTATION PROCESS .................................................................................................................. 18 3 OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................................................................... 20 3.1 CHAPTER SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR GLENELG ................................................................................................. 20 3.3 SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA FISHERY .................................................................................................... 21 3.4 CHARTER BOAT SECTOR..................................................................................................................... 22 3.5 PORTLAND BAY MARINA ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.6 FUEL SUPPLY ..................................................................................................................................... 27 3.7 CRAY FISHING FLEET .......................................................................................................................... 29 3.8 TRAWLER WHARF .............................................................................................................................. 31 3.9 CRUISE LINERS .................................................................................................................................. 36 3.10 MARINE SERVICES SECTOR ................................................................................................................ 37 3.11 TOWN JETTY ..................................................................................................................................... 39 3.12 OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PORTLAND BAY ...................................................................................... 43 4 MASTER PLAN ....................................................................................................................................... 44 4.1 CHAPTER SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 44 4.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE ......................................................................... 44 4.3 FORESHORE PLANNING PRECINCTS AND MARINE ZONES. ...................................................................... 44 4.4 PORTLAND MARINE MASTER PLAN ..................................................................................................... 46 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................. 48 APPENDIX A - MASTER PLAN DRAWINGS ......................................................................................................... 48 Portland Marine Master Plan 1 June 2016 2 of 48 Version Control Version Date Purpose Revision A 29 March 2016 For circulation Revision B 15 April 2016 For circulation Revision C 1 June 2016 For circulation This digital file: Glenelg_Portland Marine Master Plan_Report_Revision C Date this digital file was printed: 1 June 2016 Acknowledgements This Master Plan was funded through the Victorian Government’s Boating Safety Facilities Program, and by Glenelg Shire Council. The authors also acknowledge the assistance of port users and other members of the Portland community. Clarification of accuracy This report uses inputs provided by third parties, including information from the Glenelg Shire Council and its consultant advisors, from consultation with the community and industry, and drawn from publications in the public domain. Biruu has not independently checked these inputs, and notes that the findings presented in this report are subject to the accuracy of these inputs. Prepared by; Biruu Pty Ltd Level 14, 15 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 03 9639 0456 www.biruu.com Portland Marine Master Plan 1 June 2016 3 of 48 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Purpose of the Master Plan Portland finds itself overwhelmed by its increasing popularity with visitors (including recreational tuna fishers) and by demand from commercial shipping. Each season an increasing number of tourists from Victoria, interstate and overseas are visiting Portland for its ocean access and requiring up to date boating facilities and services. This Master Plan has been prepared to assist the Glenelg Shire Council and the Victorian and Australian Governments in their consideration of potential investment in the further development of Portland Bay. Economic and social context of the Master Plan Portland’s population, socio-demographic, and economic profile suggests that the creation of local employment opportunities should be a focus of this Master Plan. Employment opportunities which can help retain post-secondary school job seekers in the region would be of particular benefit. Portland has a strong economic base in manufacturing and tourism. Supporting an economic development strategy which builds on these foundations would play to Portland’s competitive strengths. Improving services and the amenity of the harbour will deliver benefits to the local community through enhanced social and emotional wellbeing, and economically through visitor attraction and marine services, and will support Glenelg’s visitor economy and manufacturing sector. Master Plan Opportunities This Master Plan identifies various opportunities for improving the value that Portland Bay brings to the region’s community, summarised below. There are two material constraints on the enhancement of the Local Port’s contribution to growing the visitor economy and its jobs in Portland. These are: a) The lack of a secure supply of diesel fuel at water level in Portland Bay. b) The shortage of berths in the Marina. This Master Plan presents a plan for addressing these constraints. The recreational Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery attracts inward expenditure and investment into the local economy from outside the region and delivers substantial economic benefits to Portland. The Master Plan presents proposals to allow more economic benefits to flow from the Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery. The charter boat sector is an enabler of tourism and inward expenditure and investment, from both tuna fishers and others. The Master Plan seeks to enable expansion of the charter boat sector in Portland. The lack of certainty that diesel fuel can be obtained when needed is one of the most significant weaknesses of the Local Port, and a material constraint to growth in activity. Fuel companies report that sales volumes are too low for fuel supply to be financially viable. The Master Plan presents a proposal for establishing a private sector fuel supply at water level, facilitated by government investment in fixed land side infrastructure. Portland Bay Marina has reached capacity and this is a barrier for innovative new tourism operators growing tourism activity in Portland Bay. The Master Plan presents a proposal for releasing Marina berths by the investment in smaller low cost berths to accommodate boats displaced from the