Gippsland Lakes Community Grants
The Australian Government has committed to invest $11 million in the Gippsland Lakes communities.
In partnership with Gippsland Ports, the East Gippsland Shire Council and the Lakes Entrance Fishermen’s Cooperative Society Ltd, $5.75 million of this investment will be used to create an attractive and functional harbour precinct in the heart of Lakes Entrance. (The remaining $5.25 million of the $11 million investment relates to flood mitigation and water quality projects being conducted under the government's Caring for our Country program.)
The projects will help the important fishing and tourism industries in the Gippsland Lakes region and address some operational shortfalls in providing important facilities to the recreational and professional boating communities such as berths and moorings, ice making, storage and unloading services and boat lifting and servicing.
The projects cover a wide range of developments and construction works that will create new job opportunities in the marine, tourism, recreation and seafood industries of East Gippsland. The projects comprise of:
- $2.85 million to Gippsland Ports for the on-water development of the Cunninghame Arm Quay through the construction of a jetty with pontoons.
This project involves the construction of itinerant moorings and permanent berths, floating pontoons, access ramps, navigation aids, public jetties as well as services for the boating communities such as water, fire fighting, power and lighting.
- $1.6 million to the East Gippsland Shire Council for the foreshore development of the Cunninghame Arm Quay precinct.
This project involves the construction of a car park, paving works, boardwalk access bollards and handrails, landscaping and irrigation, street furniture and lighting, provision of showers and replacement of the old ticket office.
- $1.3 million to the Lakes Entrance Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Ltd (LEFCOL) to replace the existing ice-works and construct a heavy duty deepwater jetty. This is in addition to the $1.7 million already committed by the Australian Government making the total allocation of $3 million to the Co-operative and related businesses.
The ice works project involves the replacement of the original ice machines (installed in 1968) with more efficient ice making machines with increased capacity. There will also be a rake room with equipment to provide flake ice to the fishing communities and industries. This new machinery and equipment will be housed in a newly constructed building that will allow the business to expand other areas of its services such as packing and storage.
The deep water heavy duty wharf will be constructed adjacent to the LEFCOL premises. The objectives are to contribute to the viability of LEFCOL as a business and to the Lakes Entrance community through successful tourism development. This will be achieved through centralising all commercial fishing operations to one location; provide an area for a range of users such as boat maintenance and larger vessels; and resolve logistical issues currently experienced due to space constrictions.