The best boat ramp in Australia?

The new $2.1 million boat ramp and car park facility at Bullock Point near Rainbow Beach was a collaboration between the Queensland Government and Gympie Regional Council to improve the accessibility that boaties have to the waterways and offshore destinations near Bullock Point.

Since publishing the Bullock Point upgrade article in the July release, we have received feedback expressing both congratulations and disappointment on the finished project.

Some of this feedback included the following:

“It is the best boat ramp in Australia!”

“Would’ve been good to have kept some part of the old jetty for historical context.”

“Whoever is responsible for the design of both this new bullock point boat ramp and the recently upgraded Carlo boat ramp need to be questioned of their capabilities. You design a three-lane ramp but only one of these have access to one side of the pontoon at both facilities, yet you claim it will make things safer and more efficient to use. It’s great to see the effort and expense put into these facilities but it’s disappointing as a boatie to see a sub-standard outcome for the effort involved by all parties.”

“I had a look at the finished boat ramp this morning and it is an excellent job, congratulations to Dept of Transport and Main Roads plus the contractor Pensar, a job well done!”

“When and who will fix the access road?”

“Will there be tables and seating for visitors, plus rubbish bins, like at Carlo Point?”

“I did notice there were no toilet facilities or rubbish bins! Surely a small toilet block could have been included in the plan. Also, there were no shady areas for families. Could a small fenced area for a kids playground and a picnic table/waiting area be built to make the area more family friendly for tourists and locals?”

In response to these comments, a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said:

Transport and Main Roads is responsible for the in-water facilities such as boat ramps, floating walkways and piles.

We were not involved in the jetty’s removal.

Positioning the floating walkway to one side minimises the risk of a barge impacting it or recreational boats berthing against it during barge operations.

Gympie Regional Council is responsible for the land-based infrastructure, such as access road/s and a car-trailer parking area/s. The council is also responsible for land-based amenities such as rubbish bins and toilet facilities.

Surveillance cameras are not proposed at the facility at this time.

A Gympie Regional Council Spokesperson advised the Community News that:

Bullock Point road will continue to be maintained and monitored as part of the Gympie Regional Council Road Network.

Bullock Point is specifically designed for those who are looking for a high standard entry point into the water to avoid damaging their vessels.

It is not designed as a day use area; however, facilities are available at Rainbow Beach and Lawrie Hanson park.