Olympic-size marina destined for Homebush Bay
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday July 31, 2009
A $300 MILLION marina, one of the biggest developments of its kind in Australia, will be established at Homebush Bay, the Premier, Nathan Rees, will announce today.Expressions of interest will be sought for building the marina, with the successful bidder to be announced in the middle of next year and construction to start in 2012.The proposal to build the marina on the 18-hectare site with 900 metres of waterfront access to the Parramatta River and Homebush Bay has been on the agenda for more than a decade.A master plan was put together in 2005, but a lease by radio 2GB for an antenna it had on the site prevented the Government from going ahead with the project. The lease expired last year.There are 222,300 registered boat owners in NSW and 483,600 powerboat licence holders. The Boating Industry Association estimates the marine park's catchment area would capture about 40 per cent of the total number of boats, the Ports Minister, Joe Tripodi, said. The site will feature dry boat storage for boats up to 30 feet long.This means boat owners who have had to find a mooring on the Parramatta or Nepean rivers will be able to store boats on the site.The Government is hoping the site will become a home for boat manufacturers and maintenance facilities, a maritime studies centre and a rowing club.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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