What Are The Worst Boat Ramps In Australia?
It’s a fact of life for the recreational trailer boat fisherman that your fishing options depend on your ability to get onto the water. Who’d a thought, eh?
Unless you’re supremely confident in your 4X4’s ability to negotiate soft beach sand, using a trailer boat usually means getting access to a boat ramp. And as any angler will tell you — whether it’s because they queued endlessly during peak season, or found the last trailer-reserved parking spot occupied by a little hatchback — that seemingly simple step is sometimes a major headache.
Overcrowded boat ramps that can’t cope with capacity… boat ramps sorely in need of maintenance… boat ramps that don’t exist and clearly need to be built… These issues regularly top the list of grievances from keen anglers. Indeed, it’s no surprise that the issue tends to be a rich source of ‘robust’ discussion between anglers and councils and other official bodies.
Photo: Graham Lloyd via ClubMarine.com.au
HAVE YOUR SAY
Which boat ramps are most in need of upgrades or repairs? Which boat ramps are the most over-crowded? Maybe thre's an unworkable car and trailer parking arrangement? What location do you think urgently needs a boat ramp built?
Tell us what you think and leave a comment below.
CASE STUDY: BASTION POINT BOAT RAMP, MALLACOOTA
If you’ve visited Mallacoota since December 2014, you’ll have noticed a change. That’s when the Bastion Point boat ramp was opened, despite the reservations of some local residents regarding its possible effect on the surf.
During Easter, locals reported more upwards of 150-plus daily launches from the Bastion Point Boat Ramp. It was so popular that there were even reports of nearby food stores running perilously low, as boaters raided the shelves before heading offshore.
According to John Rudge, president of the Mallacoota District Business and Tourism Association, the new Bastion Point Boat Ramp has put Mallacoota on the fishing map. “The waters off Mallacoota have always been a prime area for game fishing, but they couldn’t really be exploited because of the difficulties crossing the bar,” he told Trade-a-Boat.
“Since the Bastion Point facility opened in December it’s been a huge success. Before that, if you were a real ocean fishing enthusiast, you pretty much had to go interstate.
“Now, the waters off Mallacoota and Gippsland are a genuine, accessible offshore fishing venue.
“At the same time, our local traders and retailers reported excellent results during summer and over Easter.”