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View Full Version : Redland Council - proposed new boat ramp and car parking at Raby Bay Ramp



Moonlighter
31-01-2012, 08:48 AM
I have received a copy of the consultation plans for the proposed extension to the William St (Raby Bay) boat ramp. The proposal is to put in a new 2 lane ramp on the other side of the VMR building, and to open up/build/surface a new car parking area for that.

Conact me via PM for copies of the plan. Council is keen to get our feedback, so this is an opportunity not to be missed!

I suggest that a few of us need to get together and review these plans and provide feedback to the Council. Preferably by meeting the officers, and they have told me they are happy to do this.

The document is 6.3mb so is too big to upload here, so PM me with your details and I will email a copy to you.

Plan attached now! I have attached below the main plan of the new ramp and carpark area being proposed. If you would like the full set of plans in more detail please PM me!


As far as I can see, the only things included in the plans are for the new ramp and associated carpark.

There is nothing mentioned about how the beaching area will be treated.

There is no mention of pontoons in the plans. The most recent info I have from discussions with the Council officer was to the effect that the State (Transport and Main Roads) will not fund a public pontoon because they consider that this ramp is too exposed to the weather. Frankly, I think whoever made that call is wrong: the fact is that both VMR and the Redlands Boat Club have ramps in the immediate vicinity of the public ramp - within 20m or so in fact, and they rarely have any problems with bad weather affecting usability or safety of those pontoons.

Cheers

ML

Update 31/1 midday:
The proposed upgrade includes 36 new boat/trailer parking places, plus 4 rigging bays. So it is a significant increase. The 4 rigging bays are closest to the new ramp, and at 5.65m width, are about 1.4m wider than the standard parking bays, so should be OK.

To enter the new ramp and parking area, you will turn left instead of right as you approach the VMR building thru the existing parking area, and this takes you to the new ramp. Can still turn right to use the old ramp as you currently do. In effect, they have basically replicated the existing double-sided parking lane in the grassy area S of the VMR building.

When exiting the new car park, you head thru the new parking area and it will join on to the existing road at the cul-de-sac.

At first glance, it actually seems quite logical and efficient the way it has been designed, although I need to take some time to sit down and look at it and see if there are any flaws in the layout that are not immediately obvious. That's where some more input from others would be helpful.

Giveitacrack
31-01-2012, 08:50 AM
Let's hope they have the sense to build some fish cleaning stations as well.

tiny_tinny
31-01-2012, 09:47 AM
Let's hope they have the sense to build some fish cleaning stations as well.

.....and a beach to land boats on.........(not a jetty!! - shore based fishers take them over and too often refuse to allow boaties to use them)

wirlybird
31-01-2012, 09:58 AM
.....and a beach to land boats on.........(not a jetty!! - shore based fishers take them over and too often refuse to allow boaties to use them)

not sure removing the pontoon is a great idea im not puting my glass boat up on the sand ill never get it off. the pontoons that hug the ramp are a good ideaand seem to work well creating a queue senario

fishfeeder
31-01-2012, 11:03 AM
For me sand and a Pontoon, and I like how they use hessian bags filled with sand so there are no large rocks to bang on my hull... They need to make the pontoon drop off and pickup only (5min Max), so people don't tie up to it and go for a 30min chat or decide there going to load all there gear into the boat by the pontoon instead of in the rigging area.....

Cheers
Brett

rayken1938
31-01-2012, 12:27 PM
Just had a quick look on councils website but couldnt find it.
Any provision for disabled parking?
I am of 2 minds re fish cleaning tables as they just make people stay longer and take up valuable parking spots.They will also encourage more land based fishing there.
Will parking be restricted to cars with trailers only?
Whilst the additional parking will be welcome it is still not sufficient.
Cheers
Ray

Makka Nick
31-01-2012, 06:02 PM
Is the plan to have the new ramp dedicated to launching and the old ramp retreiving? I think it would make sense and hopefully reduce ramp rage when a number of boats are waiting to come in.

Jarrah Jack
31-01-2012, 06:09 PM
Is the plan to have the new ramp dedicated to launching and the old ramp retreiving? I think it would make sense and hopefully reduce ramp rage when a number of boats are waiting to come in.

Thats a good idea but there would always be people who couldn't understand the difference.

Moonlighter
09-02-2012, 12:17 PM
Hi all

After receiving some feedback from Ausfish members and other people, below is the text of a response that I have sent today to the Council officers and Redland City Council, FYI.

Overall
Overall, the proposal looks pretty good in itself and a step in the right direction. It is a pity that funding doesn’t allow the addition of the pontoon at the new ramp immediately, because that would help address questions 1 and 2 below, which are quite important and concerning issues at the moment.

1. Landing area:
It is important that suitable surface is provided for the areas beside the new ramp where boats will be beached. Nothing is indicated in the plans about this, can you advise what is planned?Will it be sand, gravel or something else? The last thing we need is a situation like in Toondah Harbour at that ramp where there is no beach on either side and you sink deep into the mud if you step off the concrete. At present there are scattered boulders and rubble in this area that will present hazards if left unaltered.

2. Ramp Edges
The edges of the proposed ramp - are the rocks going to be set into concrete, it looks like quite a steep edge and drop will be involved, and it is important that these edges be safe to both people and boats. In a northerly, it will be challenging to stand on the edge of the ramp and hold a boat there while waiting for the trailer.
 
3. Kerb at top of ramp - southern end
There is a rounded kerb at the top of the southern end of the new ramp where the ramp adjoins the first rigging bay, that sticks out and is likely to cause problems and we can see trailers and cars bumping into it, driving over it and damaging trailers and cars. Can this be redesigned to provide more open access?

4. Rigging Bays
Congratulations on recognising the need for some rigging/preparation areas near the ramp. However, it looks to us that it could be quite tight for big rigs to swing into the rigging bays closest to the VMR building, especially when arriving at the ramp before launching without impeding other users of the ramp. Is it worth considering putting all four rigging bays on the other side?? It would be a more natural angle when arriving to park on that side to prepare, and also would help when backing out because the driver is able to see the RHS of the trailer better and doesn’t have to look around the trailer so much.

5. Drain below high water mark
On the shoreline south of the proposed ramp, below the HWM is a drain which is the outlet for an adjacent drainage channel. There is potential for people to fall into the drain hole while holding boats, and for the area to silt up in the future. What is going to happen to this drain, and how is potential silting it causes going to be addressed?

6. Car parking for cars without trailers
There are still only 5 single car park spaces in the entire complex, which is inadequate now and will continue to become a bigger issue. Many people do drive their car to the ramp to meet their friends at the ramp for a days boating. There are no disabled carparks there either. Suggestion: The area where the old Cadets building was some years ago could be an option - the side of that area closest to William St is currently cross-hatched, and seems to us that this section could perhaps be returned to single vehicle parking bays as it was previously, without affecting the trailer parks on the other side?

7. Depth of water near new ramp?
Is there sufficient depth adjacent to the new ramp for all sized trailerable boats? How is siltation going to be dealth with? Actually, the whole basin and channel really needs to be dredged properly, the bed levelling done a few years ago was really only a temporary treatment. This is the premier launching ramp in the central Redlands area and the VMR base, yet its channel and basin are just barely deep enough now and getting progressively worse.

8. Impediments to adding Pontoons
What standards or guidelines are QT&MR using to determine that the existing and proposed ramps are too exposed to support provision of some form of pontoons? Their judgement seems to be flying in the face of the fact that there are existing pontoons in this exact location - one at the VMR and the adjacent Redlands Boat Club.

9. Fish Cleaning Facilities
Would Council be amenable to constructing fish cleaning facilities adjacent to the new ramp, at a location to be agreed? If funding is not available from Council or Government sources for the capital works involved, if the community raised the funds or part thereof, would Council then support/build/approve the construction of such facilities? Would need cleaning tables and taps for washing down, plus shade. Plus hygenic rubbish disposal facilities.

I have asked them to let me know their response to each of these issues.

Anyone with further issues/ideas should send them to the Council via email as below:
rodney.powell@redland.qld.gov.au

Cheers

ML

thelump
09-02-2012, 12:48 PM
Well done ML. If they are concerned about pontoons in exposed areas why did they put one at Viccy Point? Cant get to much more exposed to the elements than there!

wirlybird
09-02-2012, 01:02 PM
great list mate well done!

Did you find out who got sued for a failing recovery point :)

Moonlighter
09-02-2012, 03:35 PM
Hi Whirlybird

No. But I can see from the plans that the approved standard for public boat ramps that is set by Queensland Transport (maritime facilities) no longer includes recovery rings, and this ramp is being built in accordance with those standards.

I am also advised that the Council has actually received the funds for the ramp part of this construction job from Qld Transport, and Council is funding the carpark section, so good on 'em for stepping up to provide the extra parking places for boaties in Redlands.

Cheers

ML

Cheers

ML

Moonlighter
09-02-2012, 03:40 PM
Well done ML. If they are concerned about pontoons in exposed areas why did they put one at Viccy Point? Cant get to much more exposed to the elements than there!

Exactly my point.

If we can overcome Qld Transports objection due to supposed weather exposure, then we stand a chance of getting the funding for the new pontoon sooner rather than later.

If not, it will be that much harder to get the pontoon because it will be dependant on extending the rock wall from the Boat Club out to the first red beacon, which, by comparison, will be much bigger $ and therefore harder to secure.

Cheers

ML

Briannes
09-02-2012, 06:50 PM
How wonderful, us on Macleay Island have to repair wholes in our tyres because the reinforcing stabs the tyres when launching or retrieving, because the barges tear lumps of concrete off the ramp. amd the so called half tide ramp at Dalpura with the rocks at the end it has become a three quarter tide ramp. we dont even have sand at the beach beside the main ramp so you have to come in to rocks. we were supposed to get a new ramp but they spent the money elsewhere so thats out for a while. now it is not even on the agenda!! and we live on an island and pay huge rates for it even more than the mainland rates.