Tasmania’s recreational boating community is set to benefit after the Hodgman Liberal Government today announced 19 successful projects will receive a total of $980,000 for marine infrastructure upgrades under the Government’s Recreational Boating Fund.
The projects are based across Tasmania and range from infrastructure upgrades to a statewide project to educate recreational boat users about the importance of wearing their life jackets safely.
It’s estimated that there are more than 70,000 inflatable life jackets in use in Tasmania, with recent data provided by service agents showing only two per cent of these are being serviced in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations.
The education program will be aimed at encouraging users to service or check their inflatable life jackets in accordance with these requirements
Other statewide projects to receive funding include servicing 10 public moorings in service from Flinders Island to Tasman Peninsula and three cruising moorings at Darlington on Maria Island, and buying flexmat which is a popular alternative to traditional boat ramp construction methods.
Tasmania has the highest level of boat ownership in the country, with one in 17 Tasmanians having a registered boat and one in nine Tasmanians holding a boat licence.
MAST reinvests money received from boat registrations into marine infrastructure through the Recreational Boating Fund to deliver projects that boat owners want.
Since 1998 a total of $15.6 million has been spent on upgrading over 420 recreational boating facilities across the state.
Individual projects to be funded are:
Southern Projects
North and North East Projects
North West and West Projects
East Coast Projects
Inland Rivers and Lakes
Statewide projects