Commercial fishing vessels, tourist operators and local boaters will have safer and improved access to the Tweed River following construction of a new $7.5 million boat maintenance facility.

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Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said work on the new Tweed Heads facility would start later this month and once completed would be a significant boost for maritime operations as well as local and visiting boaters at the popular holiday spot.

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“Better services, facilities and equipment will improve safety for all users while the installation of a commercial wastewater system will help protect the Tweed marine environment.

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“The new upgrades will increase local use of the boat maintenance facility and improve community access to the river,” Mr Elliott said.

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Member for Tweed Geoff Provest said the old slipway, which had been in operation since the 1960s, was deteriorating, had reduced lifting capacity and could only cater for a small number and range of vessels.

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“The new facilities will be a great boost for the local community,” Mr Provest said.“The boat travel lift will include a new hard stand area and an upgrade of the slipway to accommodate a 75-tonne boat travel lift, over-water lift platforms, service pontoons and an access gangway while the boat travel lift is custom-built to have an internal width of 8.4 metres.

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“The works will involve demolishing the existing boat maintenance facility, including the slipway rails, winch and cradle and workshop before replacing them with a new office building and storage container.”

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The upgraded boat maintenance facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. More information about the project can be found here.