Something Is Happening At The Region’s Favourite Lake

The iconic Peter Faust Dam is getting new amenities – and it might even be as soon as Christmas

Three jetties are set to be installed at various points along the dam, allowing vessels to pull up to use the recreational areas.

At present the steep banks aren’t user friendly.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said he has been pushing for the installation of the jetties since he was sworn in as mayor in April 2016.

At Wednesday’s ordinary Whitsunday Regional Council meeting, a motion was moved to award the design, supply and install of jetties and walkways to Universal Marine Systems WA Pty Ltd.

The contract, worth more than $680,000, will come out of the more than $3 million funding allocated to the Whitsunday Regional Council from the Tourism Infrastructure Recovery Fund and the Building Our Regions fund.

Cr Willcox said the jetties will be a ‘game changer’.

“At the moment you’ve got to be a mountain goat to climb up the bank,” Cr Willcox said.

The concept designs detail shows they will be aluminium and appropriate for sheltered waters.

Deputy Mayor John Collins said the jetty project was ‘sensational’.

“The town really needs this, Proserpine has been hanging out for this,” he said.

The jetties are part of the upgrades and new facilities at the fishing and recreational hot spot, detailed in a master plan was completed at the end of last year.

Cr Willcox said the Whitsunday Regional Council has a 10-year licence to take over some of the land from SunWater, with the option to extend for a further 20 years.

“We’re looking to include more barbecues, as well as camping facilities,” he said.

Division 6 councillor Mike Brunker said in the ordinary council meeting the dam was starting to garner national and international attention for its world class barramundi fishing, and the inclusion of camping facilities could be an opener for further recreational activities such as mountain bike riding tracks.

Source: Whitsunday Times.