LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton (centre) meets with Cooktown boaties and marine business operators on 3 October to discuss his $500,000 commitment to help build a dinghy pontoon in the Endeavour River if elected at this month’s state election. Photo: Lyndon Keane.
A pontoon for tenders from large vessels will be on the cards in Cooktown’s Endeavour River if the Liberal National Party (LNP) wins government at the 26 October state election.
LNP candidate for Cook David Kempton was in Cooktown on 3 October to meet with boaties and marine business operators and commit $500,000 to the project, and take a first-hand look at the congestion issues on the existing pontoon, which is adjacent to the community boat ramp.
Currently, the owners of large vessels must moor their tenders at the boat ramp or get as close as they can to the shore and risk wading through shallow water at low tide to access local shops and services.
While no project is yet on the cards, Mr Kempton said the half-million-dollar funding commitment would act as the starting point for the concept to become a reality.
“This is an iconic fishing port here, and it obviously has some safety factors with the weather, the wind and the crocodiles,” he said.
“We’ve got a pretty good wharf facility and boat ramp, but we don’t have a long-term option for the smaller vessels and tenders from the yachts; this is another critical piece of infrastructure for this waterfront.”
Cape York Weekly understands project supporters believe the pontoon should be located along Sherrin Esplanade, in the vicinity of the rear of the Cooktown RSL, a location that would require the resumption of mangroves.
Cook’s Landing Fuel and Moorings owner Tom Anderson said he believed a second pontoon exclusively for tenders would get daily use and provide economic and safety benefits.
“Obviously, at the moment there’s the issue at the boat ramp where you can’t get in or out with small vessels tying up there to go to town,” he said.
“If we had a secondary alternative, it would definitely help out the congestion around the boat ramp.”
The Lure Shop owner and Cooktown Chamber of Commerce and Tourism president Russell Bowman said Cooktown was a must-visit destination for luxury vessels that needed to have the marine infrastructure in place to support the industry.
“We’re in the situation where Cooktown is seeing so many more luxury vessels coming into town … they all share the dream of coming to explore our beautiful part of the world,” he said.
“We’ve also got some locals that own vessels that can live on the water and they come to the RSL and might do the raffles and everything else; at the moment, they’ve got nowhere they can leave there vessel legally for more than 15 minutes.
“You need a floating pontoon with easy access to town.”
Boaties say having tenders from yachts and bigger vessels tied up at Cooktown’s existing pontoon is causing safety issues for those attempting to use the community boat ramp. Photo: Lyndon Keane.
