Iluka jetty could now be a pontoon

AFTER months of wrangling over a site, design and cost of a public jetty for Iluka, another proposal has hit the streets.

TheClarence Valley Council has now put on display plans for a pontoon thatwould be substantially cheaper than the original jetty proposal, butcould provide extra mooring spaces for boats.

Council deputygeneral manager Rob Donges said the council had decided to submit newplans after the company asked to draft plans for a jetty suggested apontoon would be a better option.

He said there had been nochange to proposed location of the jetty – towards the front of theSedgers Reef Hotel – only the design had changed.

One of the benefits of a pontoon, he said, was that it could rise and fall with the tide.

Another was that it would only require three piers, not the 20 that would have been needed for the original jetty proposal.

A third was that boats would be able to tie up along the entire length of the floating section.

Afourth, he said, was that it would look better because it would staycloser to the water line, and a fifth was that it would besubstantially cheaper.

It was estimated the original proposalwould have cost about $165,000. The pontoon would cost an estimated$120,000, with NSW Maritime expected to meet close to half the cost.

Ifthe owners of the Sedgers Reef Hotel agree to the new plan, theirpledged contribution of $50,000 will leave ratepayers with a bill ofonly $10,000.

The proposal will be on public display at the counciloffices until November 13.

Sedgers Reef Hotel owners were unavailableyesterday.