Long Jetty project update

THE long wait for the return of the Long Jetty is almost at an end.

The Long Jetty Project Control Group (PCG) is pleased to announce that SMC Marine Pty Ltd has been awarded the contract by Gippsland Ports to reconstruct the iconic Port Welshpool landmark. This follows a comprehensive assessment of all tenders by a Tender Team convened by Gippsland Ports. The proposal submitted by SMC Marine was unanimously supported by PCG members and approved by the Gippsland Ports Board, and will deliver the optimum outcome within the available budget.

SMC Marine is a maritime contractor with a wide range of marine construction capabilities. Recently they have designed and constructed the Anderson Road Jetty at Cowes and the Myer Street Jetty at Lakes Entrance. They also designed and constructed all marine components of the boat harbour in Augusta and designed and constructed a new inner section of the Val Street Jetty in Rockingham, both in Western Australia.

SMC Marine will rehabilitate the first 190m of the jetty. The section from 190m to 762m, the start of the burnt section, will be reconstructed. The concrete and steel deck will sit upon 188 new turpentine piles that will be driven on a rake to match the existing piles at six-metre intervals.

South Gippsland Shire Mayor, Cr Ray Argento said, “I am very happy that there will be activity at the jetty. As a local, this has been a long time coming. To be honest, there have been times over the last decade that I doubted that we’d ever see a functional Long Jetty at Port Welshpool again. With the appointment of SMC Marine to deliver the project, all my doubts are gone. They have proposed a substantially better product than the original design. The new jetty will be an impressive sight once completed and given the construction methods it should be an impressive sight for decades to come.”

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