newy.com.au – Belmont’s access to Lake Macquarie has been restored with the official opening of a new $2.8 million wharf replacing the suburb’s 50-year-old timber jetty.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz and Minister for the Hunter and Swansea MP Yasmin Catley opened the revamped Belmont Wharf on Tuesday morning.
“Enjoying the lake is a pivotal part of life in Lake Macquarie, so it’s critical we continue to deliver modern, accessible infrastructure that makes it easy for our community to get on and around the water and do what they love,” Cr Shultz said.
“This new wharf will serve the community for many years to come, offering a purpose-built place to access activities on the lake and take in the spectacular scenery.”
The replacement structure is 71 metres long and 2.4 metres wide, broadening to eight metres at the jetty landing. It has tubular steel piles, reinforced concrete headstocks, fibre-reinforced panel decking and marine-grade stainless steel fixings designed to withstand the lakeside environment.
Fenders have been installed to protect vessels mooring temporarily, while a concrete abutment links the wharf to the existing pathway. A new marine waste pump-out station is also intended to help boaties manage waste and protect the lake.
The project cost $2.8 million overall, including $2 million for construction of the wharf. The NSW Government contributed $1.4 million through its Boating Infrastructure for Communities Program.
Ms Catley said the investment would provide infrastructure used regularly by the region’s boating community, with more than 20,000 vessels registered locally.
“Lake Macquarie is made for days on the water and now Belmont Street has a wharf to match,” she said.
“Just as importantly, the new pump-out facility will help boaties do the right thing and keep our magnificent lake clean.
“The old timber wharf served boaties well for around half a century. This replacement is bigger, better, stronger and safer.”
