Mayor’s idea for new fishing pontoon at Pumpkin Creek, Keppel Sands

A ‘ripper’ idea for a new fishing and boating pontoon at the Capricorn Coast has been floated for a surprise spot but is the new local MP hooked on it?

A boating and fishing pontoon at Rosslyn Bay Harbour, Yeppoon, which is very popular with locals and visitors alike.

He may be on holidays but that hasn’t stopped Livingstone’s mayor from finding what he thinks is “a ripper” idea for a new fishing and boating pontoon at the Capricorn Coast.

Speaking from a jetty that caught his eye at Coles Bay on the east coast of Tasmania, Adam Belot said something like it could be just what the Capricorn Coast is after.

To be more specific, he was talking about the possibility of such a facility being built at the small coastal township of Keppel Sands.

“I found this awesome little jetty,” Mr Belot said from Coles Bay.

Livingstone Mayor Adam Belot at Coles Bay in Tasmania.

“It reminded me of, recently myself and councillor (Lance) Warcon and councillor (Glenda) Mather, we attended the Keppel Sands Coast Guard and they took us down to Pumpkin Creek where for years, and years and years, they’ve been lobbying to have a little pontoon that could go down parallel to their boat ramp.

“(One) that could turn off at the side like this one does, just to allow a fishing pontoon and somewhere else to tie their tinnie when there’s a bit of tide.

“And I looked at this one and thought well, this could be just what they’re after.

“So I thought, let’s get a snapshot of this, reach out to our new State member (for Keppel) Nigel Hutton and let’s put this up to see whether they (State Government) would consider funding a little project like this for that awesome Keppel Sands community down at Pumpkin Creek.

“What a ripper, it’s a winner.”

While Pumpkin Creek has older-style boat ramp facilities it does not have any pontoons and such an addition would likely prove popular with the fishing public.

Pumpkin Creek on the southern end of Keppel Sands. Photo: Chris Ison/The Morning Bulletin.

Speaking to this publication, the new Keppel MP, who had campaigned on boating and fishing prior to the election, said he would talk with Mayor Belot about the Pumpkin Creek situation when the latter returned from holidays.

“I’m happy to talk to both commercial and recreational fishermen so that we identify what their needs are, and then actually have a program to deliver it over time, Mr Hutton said.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re delivering infrastructure - I’m not taking it off the table (new pontoon at Pumpkin Creek, Keppel Sands) but I will definitely say that it’s important to me that I sit down with the mayor on his return from his holiday and work through the priorities.

“And then work with the fishing community to make sure we’re delivering for them because they’re an important part of the lifestyle we enjoy here in Keppel.”

Incoming Keppel MP Nigel Hutton.

Obviously a new pontoon of any kind would come at a cost which Mr Hutton addressed.

“And that’s why we’ve got to make sure that what we do has a business case and is developed so that it can be a part of a budget, and drive the process forward,” he said.

“I think what Queenslanders are looking for is a government that has respect for their money, and respect for their money means we’re not making promises off the cuff, but rather, we do the investigation, we get the business case and then we set it as part of a budget.

“Government works best when state government and local government are working together to achieve outcomes, so I’m really keen to do that.”