Wave of support for St Leonards Boat Ramp

ST LEONARDS Angling Club members say they are looking forward to again using their home boat ramp once it gets a long-awaited upgrade.

Some of the town’s keenest fishers have been driving down the Bellarine Peninsula to Queenscliff to get their boats in the water in recent years due to safety and vessel damage concerns at the dilapidated St Leonards Boat Ramp.

But a coming multi-million-dollar upgrade of the facility is set to address those fears and bring back local boaters.

Better Boating Victoria (BBV) recently revealed updated designs for facility that it intends to start building after Easter 2024.

St Leonards Angling Club worked with BBV for the design, and said it recommended the additional boat lanes and extended groynes that were included in the update last month.

St Leonard Angling Club president Joe Scaffidi said the updated plan was a substantial improvement on the existing boat launch.

“It gets congested, and in any bad weather when everyone’s trying to get out, you just end up smashing the boat up.

“It’s a lot of money invested in a big boat, and if you get caught out there you’re in big strife.

“I’ve actually stopped using St Leonards because of that reason. I use Queenscliff because it’s a bit safer.

“With this new proposal, the way it’s designed now, there should be somewhere you can get in during bad weather.”

The $2.8 million first stage includes a new, extended T-shaped jetty and extended groynes with wave screens to improve access to the site.

Further stages will also include a total of six bot ramp, surrounding pedestrian paths, and retain an overflow car park opposite Bluff Road.