MEMBER for Bass Jordan Crugnale has announced that work has begun to build a new ramp and jetty at Lang Lang, while resurfacing of the Tankerton ramp was almost complete and would improve boating access at French Island making boating safer and more accessible for local and visiting users.
The $2.7 million upgrades have been funded by the Better Boating Fund, which reinvests recreational boaters’ licence and registration fees and has seen close to $140m returned into projects and programs across the state to improve boating facilities, access and safety since 2021.
Designs for both ramps were led by the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s (VFA) Better Boating division in conjunction with the Lang Lang Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management, French Island Community Association and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
At Lang Lang, a new, longer concrete ramp will feature a jetty with space for up to five boats to increase the efficiency and capacity of the facility. The new single-lane ramp, to be constructed parallel with the existing ramp, will be slightly steeper so the rear wheels of vehicles stay out of the water, however it will remain primarily suitable for use at higher tides given the area’s flat seabed. Beach accessibility will also be improved as part of the jetty build.
Construction firm Simpson Construction is undertaking the work which began earlier this week. While work is underway, boaters can launch at Corinella or Grantville. The Lang Lang Foreshore Caravan Park remains open during the build, anticipated to be complete by November 2025.
Across Western Port on French Island, the Tankerton ramp will soon re-open following a resurfacing project that made use of an innovative design solution to reduce long-term maintenance costs. The old surface had fallen into disrepair and is being replaced by durable articulated concrete mats fixed to the seabed.
The mats are comprised of sections of concrete joined by flexible tethers and their large grooves allow for sand and seagrass to be cleared by wave action. The ramp’s long flat gradient is now safer to drive on and will be easier to maintain in the long run through the replacement or repair of individual sections.
The projects are among several boat ramp upgrades around Western Port, with Rhyll, Cowes, Corinella and Hastings already upgraded, while construction is expected to begin at Tooradin later in 2025.
