“A wonderful recreational facility” is how Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke described Wyangala Dam as she opened a new floating jetty at the waterway on Monday.
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Ms Cooke said the new floating jetty at Wyangala Dam will enable boat users to tie up vessels regardless of the water level.
The jetty is located just inside the park at the main boat ramp.
"This is such a beautiful area and I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than on a boat on Wyangala Dam," Ms Cooke said.
"This new 100-metre floating jetty rises and falls with the water and so remains usable regardless of how full the dam is, which means that boat users can enjoy this wonderful location as often as they like," she added.
“People come camping here, they stay in the cabins here, they really enjoy it and to think we have this innovative piece of infrastructure here which means in it doesn’t matter how high or low the water goes boats can move in and out of the area.”
Ms Cooke said the NSW Government provided $75,850 towards a $90,150 project to improve access to the popular waterway, managed by Reflections Holiday Parks, part of the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust.
"A floating jetty was considered to be the most suitable access to the waterway, which can vary considerably depending on the water levels.
"This will make boat launching and retrieval more enjoyable by allowing safer and faster access for boaties regardless of the changing water level of the dam.”
”Given that it is mobile it has the flexibility to move up and down with the water levels in the dam.
“That’s its key innovative talking point.
“Boats can move in and out of this precinct safely and quickly which means people are on the water quicker.
“As we all know the quicker you can do that the more fun you can have, it’s about dialling that up for people who want to use this area.
“It’s more of an attraction to come here knowing that people can get their boats out quickly and safely and we’ll have more users on the lake with their fishing and skiing,” Ms Cooke said.
Cowra Shire councillor and Cowra Tourism chairman Ray Walsh described the jetty as “a wonderful asset for the area”.
“Over the years we’ve experienced from 60,000 to 80,000 people through the gate at Wyangala State Park and this can only add to that.
“The thing I love about it is it’s adjustable to all water levels and the extra safety factor of it to enable people to get in and out of boats and people with some forms of disability can now more safely access the water craft as well,” Mr Walsh said.
“I think it can only be a wonderful asset for Wyangala.”
Regional manager for Reflections which manages Wyangala Dam, James Armstrong, said the 100 metre long journey is built to carry a lot of weight.
“It’s really good for all of the local boating,” Mr Armstrong said at Monday’s announcement.
“Even the guys who come out fishing (on their own) will be able to launch their boats safely.
“It also allows disabled to get onto boats which is really great because we didn’t have those types of facilities before.
“I’m sure people will also be jumping off the end of it, they’ll love it, in summer it’ll be great.
“I think people will come just to use the boat ramp.
“With the drought on at the moment people want the type of relaxation Wyangala offers, they just want to forget about the drought and their troubles.
“This will be a good thing for people to come out to the dam and have a fish and a ski,” Mr Armstrong said.
Mr Armstrong compared the jetty to Lego bricks explaining that it is easy to put to together and to move as the water level goes either up or down.
“We pull it apart, put it back together and push it in and out.
“It is very flexible so as the water goes up we’d only have to move it if it comes up very quickly. Other than that we’d push it in or out quite easily.
“It’s anchored down with sea anchors so it is quite stable,” Mr Armstrong said of the hard re-enforced plastic structure that can carry the weight of heavy machinery.
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