Back to the drawing board as Mandorah jetty project plans exceed budget
A $50m project to rebuild the Mandorah Jetty has been stopped and taken back to the drawing board
Palmerston and Beyond
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A $50m project to rebuild the Mandorah Jetty has been stopped and taken back to the drawing board because original plans were going to blow the budget.
While a lack of compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act was a factor in redesigning the marine facility, the saga has stirred the pot among Wagait Beach and Belyuen Peninsula locals who have been calling for the jetty to be rebuilt for several years now.
Wagait Beach Progress Association spokesman Darryl Withnall said locals were looking forward to having a safe jetty the community could use until it was taken back to the drawing board.
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“We were pretty encouraged because the ferry’s been a bit of a worry for a number of years ... there’s been a couple of minor accidents and some fairly serious ones,” Mr Withnall said.
“The old jetty is in a pretty bad way, they’re constantly working on it just to keep it usable so we’re all a bit disheartened – that project seemed like it would be well worth it.”
Among the minor incidents were people tripping and hitting their heads as they disembarked from the ferry, while a local woman broke her arm in one of the more serious incidents.
Mr Withnall noted that several additions to the plans, namely a landside fishing facility, had not been called for by locals who would use the facility.
A Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics spokeswoman said cost estimates blew out after further discussions about how the new facility could best serve the community.
“In 2019-20, the Department Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics consulted with key stakeholders, community groups and key government agencies to finalise a preferred concept for this important community infrastructure,” she said.
“The adoption of stakeholder requirements/expectations into the final design expanded the project scope with construction estimates exceeding the available budget for all tested options.”
Along with the land based fishing element, additions to the new Mandorah marine facility plans include a breakwater structure or rock groyne, a floating pontoon with access for mobility impaired users and a boat ramp, while carparking and trailer parking will be accounted for onshore.
A new time frame has been set for the planning of the jetty but there is no specific end date.
“The department will collaborate with key industry experts to incorporate innovative construction techniques to finalise a design that still fits within the budget,” the spokeswoman said.
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“COVID-19 has had some impact on how the industry collaboration to optimise the design will occur. It is expected that the design phase will continue through 2020-21.”
The time frames for the next stages of the project will be determined upon finalisation of the design.
A $50m project to rebuild the Mandorah Jetty has been stopped and taken back to the drawing board because original plans were going to blow the budget.
While a lack of compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act was a factor in redesigning the marine facility, the saga has stirred the pot among Wagait Beach and Belyuen Peninsula locals who have been calling for the jetty to be rebuilt for several years now.
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Waigait Beach Progress Association spokesman Darryl Withnall said locals were looking forward to having a safe jetty the community could use until it was taken back to the drawing board.
“We were pretty encouraged because the ferry’s been a bit of a worry for a number of years ... there’s been a couple a minor accidents and some fairly serious ones,” Mr Withnall said.
“The old jetty is in a pretty bad way, they’re constantly working on it just to keep it usable so we’re all a bit disheartened, that project seemed like it would be well worth it.”
Among the minor incidents were people tripping and hitting their heads as they disembarked from the ferry, while a local woman broke her arm in one of the more serious incidents.
Mr Withnall noted that several additions to the plans, namely a landside fishing facility, had not been called for by locals who would use the facility.
A Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics spokeswoman said cost estimates blew out after further discussions about how the new facility could best serve the community.
“In 2019-20, the Department Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics consulted with key stakeholders, community groups and key government agencies to finalise a preferred concept for this important community infrastructure,” she said.
“The adoption of stakeholder requirements/expectations into the final design expanded the project scope with construction estimates exceeding the available budget for all tested options.”
Along with the land based fishing element, additions to the new Mandorah marine facility plans include a breakwater structure or rock Groyne, a floating pontoon with access for mobility impaired users and a boat ramp, while carparking and trailer parking will be accounted for onshore.
A new time frame has been set for the planning of the jetty but there is no specific end date.
“The department will collaborate with key industry experts to incorporate innovative construction techniques to finalise a design that still fits within the budget,” the spokeswoman said.
LIMITED TIME – Discounted NT News subscription: Read everything for $1
“COVID-19 has had some impact on how the industry collaboration to optimise the design will occur. It is expected that the design phase will continue through 2020-21.”
The time frames for the next stages of the project will be determined upon finalisation of the design.
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