Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
IT’S the fishing platform vision that the Rocky community has been angling for.
The same people that brought the city a second boat ramp have spoken up about the need for more fishing vantage points along the Fiztroy River.
Rockhampton Regional Council is now investigating drafts for six land based fishing platforms.
North and South Rockhampton will be covered with proposed locations adjacent to Queens Park, The Common, Donovan Park, Littler Cum-Ingham Park, the Neville Hewitt Bridge and Gavial Creek.
Councillor Tony Williams said he had been overwhelmed with the input from the community about access to the Fitzroy River. “We had very strong public response from the fishing community,” Cr Williams said.
“There is a lack of structures like this, especially for people who don’t own a boat.
“We asked the bait and tackle stores, people at shopping centres and at the boat ramps and we heard them loud and clear. “It is all hands on deck delivering the North Rockhampton boat ramp, so these platforms won’t be here for at least another 12 months plus, pending funding opportunities.”
Cr Williams enthused the platforms would add another lure to enticing tourists to the city.
“If we are going to make Rocky the beef and barra capital, then we need to have the infrastructure to match it when the tourists come looking for a trophy fish,” he said. “Some of the catches out of the Fitzroy of late have been fantastic and we need to offer people wanting to wet a line easier access to the river.
Initial draft designs will be reviewed by Council officers and the Marine Infrastructure Taskforce group before final consultation. Designs for each of the locations. Some may be static fishing platforms, some floating platforms and others will be cleared areas.
The city land-based fishing areas will be the first focus, then designs for fishing platforms will then be drafted for Mount Morgan, Woolwash Lagoon, Greenslopes (Midgee) and Six Mile Reserve.
Council has also strongly advocated to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) for the provision of an upgraded jetty for non-trailer loaded vessels in TMR’s Recreational Boating Facilities Demand Forecasting Study 2016.
