Yorkeys Knob boat ramp officially opens despite ongoing concerns about insufficient dredging

The new $22.4m Yorkeys Knob boat ramp has officially opened but experienced boaties harbour ongoing concerns about safe use of the facility.

The new $22.4 million Yorkeys Knob boat ramp has officially opened despite ongoing concerns around dredging and worries surrounding property damage and safety.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey’s office confirmed the original budget for the boat ramp was $11 million, but grew to $22.4 million with the addition of a break wall.

The six-lane boat ramp was jointly funded by Transport and Main Roads and Cairns Regional Council and has been underway since 2017.

The location of the new recreational boating facility is to the north of Cairns on reclaimed land between the Yorkeys Knob Boat Club and the Half Moon Bay Golf Club on Buckley Street.

The new Yorkeys Knob boat ramp facility, adjacent to Half Moon Bay Marina. The new boat ramp features six lanes, floating pontoons and dozens of car and trailer parks, surrounded by a newly constructed breakwall. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Look, the budget here has increased slightly but it’s come in very close and I think its money well spent,” Mr Bailey said.

“It’s a great result for Far North Queensland.”

Daniel McCarthy, owner of Big Fish Down Under, welcomed the new boat ramp but said nearby shallow sandbars and sediment buildup would remain an obstacle to boaties without reliable dredging operations.

Owner of Big Fish Down Under and skipper of Moana, Daniel McCarthy. Picture: Supplied

He called on the council and the state government to guarantee funding for consistent dredging to ensure mariners’ safety.

He said he’d seen several ships “come a gutser” on submerged sandbars nearby the marina.

“(The boat ramp) is a well overdue but great initiative, but we’ve got to have safe access to the marina and blue water,” Mr McCarthy said.

“There will now be lots of boats flying in and out on the weekends … people will be coming back in off the reef late in the day when it’s dark and they’re tired … even if you’re going slow and you hit the mud you could get hurt … you could do thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

“There has been very lacklustre maintenance dredging for many years. It’s been very bad recently, lots of boats, including the pilot boat, have been stuck on the mud.

“(The government) really needs to up their (dredging) game … the state government needs to come up with more dredge maintenance funding.”

A boat caught on a sandbar near the new Yorkeys Knob boat ramp. Picture: Supplied

Founder for the Cairns and FNQ fishing group Dan Hammersley supported the need for attention surrounding the dredging.

“The dredging has always been an issue, even probably prior to this facility and the marina being built,” Mr Hammersley said.

Transport and roads minister Mark Bailey, Barron River MP Craig Crawford, Division 8 councillor Rhonda Coghlan opening the new Yorkeys Knob boat ramp. Picture: Kristina Puljak

Mr Baily said that as the boat ramp is brand new, there would be monitoring of the sand and it would be maintained it as required.

“We will monitor the situation closely,” Mr Baily said.

“We need to see how we progress because it is brand new.”

Barron River MP Craig Crawford showered praise on the new facility.

“As of right now, this boat ramp is ready to use,” Mr Crawford said.

“This is the best boat ramp and access to the Great Barrier Reef in all of Queensland.”

Originally published as Yorkeys Knob boat ramp officially opens despite ongoing concerns about insufficient dredging