North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

The Department of Infrastructure has today released the tender for construction of the $2M upgrade to the Shady Camp Boat ramp on the Mary River. These documents can be viewed in full at https://tendersonline.nt.gov.au/Tender/List/#!/Current

Not too sure if you seen my comments on the Pgfc ace book page, but I would rather see the money go towards a down stream ramp. Even if it was pushing through a dirt road, and possibly having a bank launching site which can latter be turned to the ramp.

If money is put into the current ramp up I can't see the down stream ramp happening for the next 15 years.

I don't really see a problem with the current parking facilities, and the ramps not too bad. But the problem is it's not an all or most tide ramp, thus causing the huge congestion when there's a small launching window. There's no fixing that where it is currently.

Agreed, when they build this they will think the job is done. Needs to be downstream.

This area is the NT's premium trophy barra water access point, you would think it is worth the extra effort.

EDIT: Just spoke to Tristan, downstream ramp would cost too much, major spend on an access road needed etc.

I reckon if it were boom times, you could argue for the extra spend ... but it's tough times at the moment.

What Mickkk said!!

I reckon we should leave the Shady Camp boat ramp and car park as it currently is and divert the money into the proposed boat ramp at Dundee.

At least that way we might have a chance at getting one decent launch facility rather that two half-arsed solutions.

To be fair I can not read the plan clearly, I can not read the text on it. But I'm not too sure what it would give us that we dont have already.
I think the current ramp adds to the charm / romance of the place. I like to think it is the back blocks of no where ( getting hard to do this when there's 60 boats lining up), and that you need to be slightly skilled to use the ramp with out doing damage.
I understand what has been said about the cost of moving it down stream. I do not know what the circumstances which would make it soo expensive to put in a dirt road another 5 or tops 10 kms down stream.
I do not think fishos really want a flash as ramp, as I said for me it would detract the place a little. Not to mention just encourage more and more people to use the area, thus making the current problem worse.
To me it seems a little short sited. It seems the gov of the day have cornered you into thinking that it's this or nothing, as they want to be able to make this an election badge, "we fixed shady camp ramp".
I think that afant should stand staunch in saying that nothing should be spent on the current ramp, and start doing some works towards a new one. Or put the money else where to make sure other upgrades are done properly ie. Maybe Dundee ( I have not followed where this is up to lately.)

I'm not trying to be one of negative nay sayers to afant, but if this goes ahead it will make the ramp worse by making more and more people using it, but still having the same launch windows. And it will be a long time to the next time gov want to throw money towards this area, and I can not see them wanting to throw $20 m at it (guessing that's how much it will cost by the time it's built in the future)

2mil for a road to no where (for now) would be a much better investment that this. And it may only take another election to get to the next step and the next step (again doesn't need to be a flash ramp, could be the exact same as what we have now, just further down)
If the current pressure keeps up to bring in licensing and boat rego there will be a good bribe for gov to use, ie. Yes it's extra money, but we will put it all towards fishing and finishing the shady camp ramp off is first on the list.

Haha what's that saying swoffa, great minds think alike, or is it fools seldom differ

I believe a Dundee tender might be released soon. Good news for fishos.

That Shady ramp design is supposed to lead to scouring and some improvement in tidal access.

Agree that a downstream solution would be better but I doubt the big spend will happen given the situation with mines closing, iron ore revenue way gone, shrinking budgets ...

It's not the ramp that is really dictating launch times, it's the first 500 m of river that is silted up. Is their suggestions of dredging this section too?

Its easy to say build a ramp further down stream, the road would have to go through private property, perhaps the owner doesn't want a road there and all the issues it would bring like hunters, litter, fires etc.

The road and current ramp is all on the same property. I'm not sure if it is private property or pasturel lease or what, but if he is happy where it is I'm sure another few kms would be able to be negioated.

My question still stands, what does this 2 million $ worth of upgrade give us. If I could b show that as matt is suggesting that we may get another .5 m or more of tidal window to launch and get past the first island. I could support it but if it's gravel parking and a concrete ramp, I do not think its value for money.

The trouble is that they are trying to please all of the people. The current ramp position is very limited re tides etc. I tried to download the plans but they want you to sign up as a business – not interested.
A downstream ramp at shady would be way too expensive considering the additional roadworks required. Im trying to work out if this is a double lane ramp??
And then there is Dundee – remember the whoohaa just before the last election.
The Dundee one will be mega bucks if they do it properly but I suspect they will do a half-arsed job on both

Im not sure dredging would solve the problem but it would be an ongoing task

Leave the place alone… better facilities equals bigger crowds…… the place is bad enough as it is……… As had been stated before: the challenge of the ramp and its tidal access works as a deterrent to some fishos, helps keeps the numbers down even if just by a little.

The ramp as it is now, as someone else said "adds a bit of charm to the place". It makes it unique, it is part of what makes the place an icionic waterway!

Dont fix what is not broken!

I like your thinking, and it would be a lot cheaper to put a few big nasty boulders down there, make it harder

I reckon if it were boom times, you could argue for the extra spend ... but it's tough times at the moment.

I think one of the main reasons its a bit tough at the moment is the lack of Government spending in the last 18 months.

Government starting to ramp its work up a bit now coincidentally since an election is looming.

I think its good they are trying to do something out there but have to question the logic of doing a half arsed job. Either do it properly or not at all would be my suggestion.