Port Augusta jetty faces massive repair bill as nature takes a bite

The Port Augusta jetty is crumbling and in urgent need of repairs but the local council believes it has no hope of fixing the asset without State Government help.

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The heritage-listed Port Augusta Wharf is facing an $11 million repair bill — way outside the budgetary scope of the council now appealing to key state ministers for help.

Photographs taken by engineers last month shown to the council days ago reveal the extent of deterioration to the 150-year-old wharf.

Naval shipworm attack, severe marine growth and section loss to piles, significant loss of mortar to the wharf’s supporting wall, rotting and splitting bracing, and decking deterioration are contributing factors to the $11 million needed to fix the wharf, the council has been told.

The council this week appealed to state MPs Dan van Holst Pellekaan, Stephan Knoll, and David Ridgeway for support to repair and upgrade critical coastal tourism assets within the regional city.

Port Augusta Wharf Pile affected by naval shipworm attack. Picture: Supplied

The council will now review its 2018/19 budget to redirect noncommitted funds to its $276,000 allocation for marine infrastructure repair and maintenance, which has so far covered the demolition of the East Side T Jetty last month.

The Advertiser last week revealed regional leaders have warned some jetties would need to be closed or demolished and are calling for a statewide jetty repair and maintenance plan.

There are about 36 jetties and wharves across the state, mostly in country SA, owned by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure but maintained by councils under lease terms negotiated about 20 years ago — the first is set to expire in 2024.

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Stephan Knoll has blamed Labor neglect over 16 years for SA’s ageing jetties and has promised to work with councils facing rapidly accumulating repair bills.

Port Augusta Wharf pile affected by marine growth. Picture: Supplied

“We want to work with the local government sector and have a serious conversation about developing a longer term solution to maintaining our state’s jetties,” Mr Knoll told The Advertiser.

“Jetties are very important to regional communities, especially with respect to tourism and attracting visitors to a region,” he said.

The current annual budget for maintenance and repair of road and marine assets, which includes jetties and wharves, is about $2.6 million.

Opposition transport and infrastructure spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said Labor had allocated more than $9.3 million over two years for jetty upgrades across the state in the 2017/18 Budget, following an additional $3.5 million to repair storm-damaged jetties in 2016.