Boating infrastructure program

The Queensland Government’s Boating Infrastructure Program forms part of the Maritime Infrastructure Investment Program.

The Boating Infrastructure Program funds:

  • public recreational boating facilities for launching and retrieving recreational trailer boats
  • maintenance of design depths in channels to ensure access to high-use recreational boating facilities
  • new and upgraded pontoons and floating walkways at or near boat ramps, where there is sufficient identified need (provided local conditions are suitable)
  • pontoons and jetties for deeper-draught vessels (such as yachts and launches) for pick-up and set-down of passengers and supplies.

Community consultation is a major input to the works program. We work closely with major stakeholders to identify priority recreational boating projects for partnership development throughout Queensland.

Potential new or upgraded facilities are identified through a project proposal process in partnership with councils and port and water authorities that work with us to plan boating facilities. Proposals are regularly sought from these agencies and compliant/feasible proposals are considered when developing the Boating Infrastructure Program each year.

When making assessments and prioritising investments, we consider:

  • community consultation via the Queensland Government's Get Involved website
  • proposals from local members on behalf of the community
  • the recommendations of the most recent demand forecasting study (includes community consultation and field work findings) 
  • feasibility and constraints (foreshore profile, depths in access channels, wave climate, current scouring, siltation, marine parks, fish habitat areas, environmental offsets, mangrove clearing and so on)
  • available departmental funding (capital and grant) for in-water project components
  • maximising benefit to maximum numbers of the boating public
  • agreement from local government partners willing to commit funding for land side components based on their budget priorities and works programs
  • foreshore land availability and access
  • council project proposals
  • statewide equity considerations and demographic challenges for remote and sparsely populated areas.

Successful projects are included in the multi-year rolling works program, with most projects scheduled over 2 to 3 years. A general project timeline would be design and environmental approvals undertaken in the first year and construction started from the second year.  

Projects with longer time frames may be the result of:

  • prioritisation of funding
  • technical constraints
  • local conditions such as severe weather events.

More information

Last updated
08 September 2023