Strahan wharf assets in safe community hands

Strahan and surrounding communities are set to benefit from the transfer of TasPorts’ Strahan-based wharf assets to the West Coast Council.

TasPorts Chief Executive Officer Anthony Donald said by mutual agreement, the Council would assume ownership and management of the assets as a community hub, for the benefit of the entire West Coast community.

“This is a great outcome for both TasPorts and the West Coast Council,” Mr Donald said.

“The Strahan Wharf is a regionally remote and isolated asset that predominantly services the local tourism industry and fishing fleet while TasPorts is a commercial entity set up to facilitate freight and logistics solutions to benefit the community and create value for customers,” he said.

“The assets are not essential to TasPorts functions, but they are of considerable value to the community and it’s therefore great to be able to gift them to the Council for the future use of the West Coast community.”

West Coast Mayor Shane Pitt said council is delighted to be taking control of this vital community asset.

“It is important for local communities to operate assets that have a significant impact on the local economy and the Strahan Wharf is a perfect example of this,” Mayor Pitt said.

“Strahan Wharf is vital in supporting our tourism and aquaculture industries as well as general trade and traditional fisheries.

“This is key infrastructure which drives the local economy, so it is important we can now control our destiny support the jobs and industries are dependent on wharf for income.

Mayor Pitt said existing tenancy agreements will continue under the same terms and conditions as the current arrangements with TasPorts.

Mr Donald said the precinct includes the passenger terminal, the wharf deck, marina berths, finger pier, little dock, fisherman’s wharf, the slip yard and associated fixtures, plant and equipment.

“The proposed transfer also includes the adjoining seabed but will exclude navigational aids (including Entrance Island Lighthouse, Bonnet Island Lighthouse, Regatta Point and channel navigational aids and lead lights throughout Macquarie Harbour and the Gordon River),” he said.

“As part of this arrangement TasPorts’ West Coast wharf worker will transfer to the Council to continue overseeing the important work in this precinct.”

The asset transfer is expected to be complete by the end of October.