Tuna frenzy inspires new Portland ramp

"Perhaps I should have not been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for."

It’s hard to miss this impressive and fitting quote by Ernest Hemmingway, set in bold print across a prominent concrete seating area at the new Portland Foreshore Harbour Precinct.

The precinct, including the new boat ramps and fish cleaning facilities, will be officially opened by Glenelg Shire Council Mayor Cr John Northcott and Victorian Premier Denis Napthine on July 11, with the area expected to be available for use immediately following.

The precinct has already been lauded by local boaters and fishermen who have inspected the site. In the past, the area has been the scene of massive traffic jams and parking woes, especially during the peak tuna fishing season.

The Portland Foreshore Parking Strategy will come into place on July 1, almost two weeks prior to the official opening, and will apply to the current foreshore parking area until the new precinct is opened.

Ticket machines, which will accept Visa and Mastercard, will be installed at key locations on the foreshore and daily passes can be pre-purchased (cash, cheque or credit card) during business hours at any of Council’s Customer Service Centres or Visitor Information Centres.

Parking fees for vehicles towing boat trailers on the Portland Foreshore were set by Council earlier this year and will be reviewed annually as part of the Council’s budget process.

The daily pass fee for 2014/15 has been set at $10.00 per day. The cost of the annual parking permit for vehicles towing boat trailers is $110 from July 1 to June 30, 2015.

A concession fee is available to Glenelg Shire Council ratepayers ($55.00 per annum) and residents of the Glenelg Shire who are concession card holders $55.00 per annum).

Overflow parking areas have been incorporated into the finalised strategy and will be opened at the council’s discretion.

Mayor John Northcott said flyers, informing people of the changes about to take place, had been available at multiple locations across the Shire and on the Council website for some time.

"Work on this precinct has moved very quickly and we want to ensure we have everything in place ready for the 11 July opening," he said.

"We are also installing CCTV cameras and four additional fish cleaning tables."

For more information about the Parking Strategy go to: http://www.glenelg.vic.gov.au/ForeshoreParking