A new association has been formed to push for the preservation of the Empire Bay Marina, following a public meeting held on site on November 5 which attracted more than 200 concerned residents.
More than 12 months after a report conducted by the NSW government found that the marina building and jetties are unsafe and have major structural defects no decision has yet been made on whether or not the boatshed can be restored or needs to be demolished.
Errol Baker, who has been agitating for retention of the marina for some years, said there had been quite a bit of “stonewalling” from the Government on future actions since the report came out in August last year.
“We took a vote at the meeting on Saturday and all but two of those present were in favour of saving the boatshed,” he said.
“We needed $187 to start up an association.
“We raised that and more on the day and lodged our association application on November 7.”
The new Empire Bay Heritage Boat Shed Association will start out with a membership of 196.
The meeting was attended and supported by Member for Robertson, Gordon Reid, and Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch, who was unable to attend the public meeting due to a prior engagement, is expected to meet on November 28 with Association and Crown Lands representatives.
Tesch gave an impassioned speech in Parliament on November 8 calling on Crouch to work with Crown Lands and the community to save the “gorgeous heritage boatshed”, which she said was the third building to be built in Empire Bay.
She said while there was a lot of work needed to bring the boatshed “up to scratch”, it was a symbol of the boat building industry on Central Coast and there was a lot of community momentum to save it.
She said a representative from the Maritime Museum had reinforced the importance of the boatshed on the day.
In reply, Crouch told Parliament that the formation of the association was a “great outcome” in working out what the community wants”.
He said he had met many times with Baker, ferry operators and members of the Empire Bay Progress Association.
“What has to be paramount is the safety of the community,” he said.
“I look forward to working with new Association and Crown Lands (on the future of the boatshed).”
Baker said the people of Empire Bay had “spoken with their feet” in attending the meeting.
“The Government hasn’t spent a cent on the marina in three years and our aim is to put pressure on them to do some maintenance,” he said.
“They have a duty of care and are not fulfilling their obligations.
“We will hold a meeting within the next week to elect a committee for the association.
“Surprisingly, supporters are not just older residents; many young families are also driving the push to see the boatshed restored.”
Meanwhile, the group has started work on a financial plan, giving multiple options to ensure the ongoing viability of the boatshed, with the revenue stream to be based solely upon revenues from wharf berths.
“We have gathered comparative berth costings and also comparative outgoings from a similar local venture,” the group’s Facebook page says.
“So far, the financials look very encouraging and there are almost limitless combinations of wharf use that will financially cover outgoings and maintenance.
“One option would see the majority of wharf berths set aside at preferential rates for heritage and smaller wooden vessels to create an Empire Bay Heritage Fleet to compliment the boatshed, with berths set aside for Central Coast Ferries and a few full paying berths.”
The group cites Davistown’s Putt Putt Wharf, which is run under a co-operative model and is totally self-sustaining and very successful.
Davistown Progress Association President, Jenny McCulla, said that along with Davistown and Daleys Point, Empire Bay has strong historical connections to the boat building industry on Brisbane Water.
“Built circa 1920 the Boat Shed has fallen into disrepair under the management and custodianship of NSW Crown Lands and currently requires restoration, as well as site remediation to address contamination in some areas of the lease,” she said.
McCulla said the boatshed is listed under the Gosford LEP on the State Heritage Register and described as an important heritage component of the waterfront precinct.
“The boatshed could activate the waterfront reserve for numerous activities that benefit the Empire Bay community as well as providing certainty for Central Coast Ferries who previously moored at the wharf but currently have no permanent mooring site for their vessels.”
jenny mcculla
More than 700 signatures have been collected on a petition to Save the Boat Shed.
“Partridge Heritage Structural Engineers have provided a structural review and recommendation report that strongly recommends the structure be restored and have provided a methodology to stabilise the structure long term that they feel is an economical approach to its retention,” McCulla said.
A spokesperson for Crown Lands said the future of the former marina structures is still under review.
“The Environment Protection Authority has declared the site significantly contaminated, and SafeWork NSW has issued a notice for the underground fuel tanks and associated equipment to be removed,” the spokesperson said.
“Crown Lands has engaged a consultant to advise on how best to safely remove the fuel tanks and equipment and clean up contamination on site, given the safety risk posed by the deteriorated structures.”
Keep up to date on latest developments on the Empire Bay Heritage Boat Shed Association Facebook page.
Terry Collins
I am in favour of preserving the Empire Bay boatshed.