Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has today officially opened the second stage of the Exmouth Boat Harbour upgrade – the most significant transformation of a State-operated marine facility in the last decade.
Stage 2 of the Exmouth Boat Harbour upgrade received more than $18 million in funding from the State Government, and has transformed the harbour into a modern maritime hub.
The most recent upgrade works included an 88 metre extension to the wharf, with a 40 metre heavy lift zone, heavy vehicle parking area, new cyclone moorings, four new trawler pens and raising of the southern breakwater by two metres.
Construction of a new fuel farm, firefighting infrastructure, upgraded road access and a CCTV system also means the facility can better cater to marine and offshore industries.
The completion of the upgrade also spurred private investment in the harbour with tenant Base Marine investing $4.6 million for a boat repair facility including a 320 tonne capacity boat lifter, offering repair and maintenance capability for the regional fleet.
Exmouth is geographically well placed to become an increasingly important hub for the maritime industry in the north of Western Australia and these upgrades will enable the facility to service the offshore industry in years to come.
The latest upgrades complement those completed in Stage 1, which involved the demolition of the dilapidated Jetty A and the construction of Jetty B, providing 39 additional cyclone-rated commercial and recreational boat pens.