Tumby Bay Jetty could reopen in weeks after being closed for two years

After its two-year closure led to death threats and a town divided, a shock announcement could mean the historic regional jetty is on the brink of reopening. But there’s a catch.

Tumby Bay Jetty could be reopen within weeks after the local council accepted an offer from marine contractors to load test and provide a temporary fix to the structure.

Council mayor Geoff Churchett said marine contractors Maritime Constructions would load test the century-old jetty which has been closed since a severe storm in October, 2022.

Maritime Constructions will begin load testing this week, under the supervision of structural engineers from Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec.

“While it is known from visual inspection that many components are significantly deteriorated, the intent of this testing will be to prove whether the actual load capacity remaining is significant to safely support renewed public access,” Mr Churchett said.

If the load testing is successful, the council has allocated $150,000 to buy materials to temporarily repair two-thirds of the jetty to a standard likely to last 12 to 18 months.

Mr Churchett said the council expected to know within a few weeks if the load capacity could handle pedestrian access, and the repair work, if given the go-ahead, could be completed in a similar time frame.

Tumby Bay District Council Mayor Geoff Churchett. Picture Dean Martin

“Hopefully this will give us 12 to 18 months of the jetty so we can then float other ideas past the community,” Mr Churchett said.

“Council continues to work very closely with the SA government as well as Tumby Bay residents on a sustainable long-term solution to our jetty issue.”

Mr Churchett said the council had no choice but to close the jetty after engineers reports and direction from SafeWork SA in 2022.

He said Maritime Constructions approached the council last month with an offer to provide plant, equipment and labour for the temporary repairs free of charge, pending the load testing results. Structural engineers Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec has also offered a “significant reduction” in fees associated with developing the scope and certifying the suitability of the proposed works.

The temporary solution is independent from the council receiving a State Government offer of $2.4m to help pay for a permanent solution to the dilapidated jetty. The council has provisionally accepted the offer, pending further negotiations around details of a new 15-year lease it would be required to sign. The council is also set to this week announce the results of a survey asking residents if they would be prepared to support a rate rise of up to 15 per cent to pay the council’s share of jetty refurbishment and maintenance over the next few decades.

The Sunday Mail revealed the closure of the Tumby Bay jetty had led to death threats and a town locals say has been “torn apart”. The Tumby Bay jetty is one of dozens across SA at risk of falling into the ocean after decades of neglect.

At Tumby Bay jetty, only a pelican can access the structure as it has been closed for two years over safety concerns. Picture Dean Martin

“We are extremely grateful for the support of Maritime Constructions and WGA who have worked openly with council to develop and implement a cost-effective option,” Mr Churchett said.

“The jetty means a lot to us and if we can deliver this short-term fix in a safe, effective and affordable way, it’s worth doing.”

Originally published as Tumby Bay Jetty could reopen in weeks after being closed for two years