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Work set to start on multi-million dollar Port of Sale redevelopment

Work is all set to start mid-November on the first stage of Wellington Shire Council’s multi-million-dollar Port of Sale redevelopment – the most significant project for Wellington for decades.

By Wellington Shire Council - 24th October 2003 - Back to News

Two large information boards have just been installed on the corner of Desailly Street and Canal Road, incorporating an artist’s impression of what the completed first phase will look like and listing key features of the work.

Some $2.5 million funding has been secured for this stage with $240,000 coming from the Council, $1.96 million from the State Government’s Regional Infrastructure Development Fund, $200,000 from the Federal Government’s Commonwealth Sustainable Regions Program and $65,000 from Gippsland Ports.

The Port of Sale is a significant historic and environmental asset in the centre of Sale, with the potential to become a major tourism drawcard and community asset for the city, Wellington and the Gippsland region.

Redevelopment of the Port has the potential to generate over $30 million of investment in the Shire, acting as a springboard for significant growth in the local economy focusing on the areas of tourism, retail, restaurant, commerce and leisure facilities. New facilities will be incorporated in a way that enhances and is sympathetic to the local environment, whilst also ensuring that the public have easy access to the Port area.

A taster of things to come is the recently completed $5.9 million Esso BHP Billiton Wellington Entertainment Centre which provides a suitably impressive gateway to the revamped Port.

Stage 1 is expected to be completed by the end of April 2004 and will provide substantial improvements to the public open space on the north and east banks of the port.

Enhancing features will include:

· 70 metres of timber board walks and 280 metres of concrete paths to open up accessibility to the port area;

· two new five-metre long jetties to improve the boat mooring capacity;

· new street lighting to add to the night-time ambience of the precinct;

· new picnic facilities, public toilet block and barbecue area;

· landscaping improvements with additional garden beds and trees

To support these improvements some 70 metres of retaining walls will be constructed, power lines will be undergrounded, entry roads to the port will be modified and resealed, and car parking facilities upgraded.

A Port of Sale brand has been developed to help market the precinct and will be displayed on nearby signage and flags lining the Port area.

There are plans to further develop the Port of Sale precinct in phases over the next few years, with an environmentally-sympathetic development of the south bank in an appropriate links-style - to include up-market, low-density accommodation.

This would depend in part on the results of a flood study currently under way and the outcome of negotiations with the State Government on the lease terms/tenure of Crown Land.

It is hoped that on-site work for the second multi-million-dollar stage may get under way before the end of 2004 and this is likely to include enlarging the Port itself to provide a new, much larger marina with the capacity to accommodate 150 boats (the present capacity is 42 currently), 4½ star condos, hotel accommodation, as well as convention and retail facilities including a ships chandlery, cafés, restaurants and tavern. This development is expected to attract substantial private investment, which will benefit not just the Port but Wellington as a whole.

Said Wellington’s Chief Executive Officer Lyndon Webb: "This represents the most significant project for Wellington for decades, and will provide the Shire and Gippsland with a real focal point and tourism pull.

"The benefits to the Shire’s economy will be enormous in terms of the millions of dollars of private investment that are likely to be attracted, which will provide a fantastic boost to local businesses and jobs."


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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