Why we aren’t saying bon voyage to Lady Musgrave pontoon just yet
While the Lady Musgrave HQ pontoon is in the water, there’s still a bit of work to do before the 10+ hour voyage to the lagoon. Find out more:
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As the Lady Musgrave HQ pontoon enters the water, the opportunity to sleep on the reef is one step closer to reality.
While the pontoon has gotten wet, Lady Musgrave Experience’s Brett Lakey said the hard work wasn’t over just yet.
Lady Musgrave HQ is a three-level, 35m long pontoon, housing underwater accommodation with a 24 bunk-bed-type dorm in what has been described as a “world class” project.
Mr Lakey said the project was in the final construction and fit-out stage with about another month of work to go.
He also said the main deck, observatory, snorkel and dive platforms and upper deck components were all built separately.
“Observatory was fitted to main deck then the upper deck and roof component were trucked to site,” he said.
Then it was put in the water using cranes.
“Main deck (53 tonne) was craned in first,” he said.
“We added 18000 litres of water as ballast to make level then an additional 37 tonne of steel ballast was craned on before the upper deck/roof structure. (25 tonne).”
The final touches will include the fit out of bunks, bathroom fittings, painting and balustrading.
Once complete, it will be a 10-12 hour voyage out to the lagoon.
Mr Lakey said as soon as the pontoon was secured in the lagoon, it would be open to the public.
This project has been more than a year in the making.
Mr Lakey previously told the NewsMail the pontoon would be powered by wind and solar.
He said it was a footprint-free structure which would be held in the Lady Musgrave lagoon with four anchors.
The entire pontoon was custom made and built locally and he said they were trying to get tables, seating and other fixtures locally too.
For more information about Lady Musgrave Experience click here.
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