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RACV reveals Victoria’s best and worst boat ramps

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Boat ramp users to rate the facilities at their local ramp.

NEW research from the RACV has revealed the best and worst boat ramps across Victoria. The first survey of its kind from RACV, which polled 1300 respondents, asked boat ramp users to rate the facilities at their local ramps, including water quality, trailer parking, ramp surface and waiting times.

Patterson River came out on top, with boaties satisfied with most facilities, including water quality, wait times, the number of available lanes and the ramp surface. However, the majority felt there was not quite enough trailer parking at busy times.

Average Ramp Ratings (state avg. 2.9)

  • Patterson River 4.3
  • Clifton Springs 4.0
  • Rye 4.0
  • Tooradin 3.8
  • Geelong (Limeburners Point) 3.7

Portland and the Saint Helens/Corio Bay ramps were also highly rated by boat users, who praised the water quality and depth, and waiting times. Victoria’s worst boat ramp, according to the people who use it most, was Warrnambool’s Lady Bay. Users said it needed more car parking, more trailer parking at busy times and 75 per cent rated the ramp’s surface as ‘extremely poor’.

Other public ramps to rate poorly with users included Coronet Bay, on Western Port, and Black Rock and Safety Beach on Port Phillip.

Neil James, RACV Leisure Products General Manager, said Victorians are concerned about the quality of many boat ramps throughout the state and the survey has highlighted there’s a lot more that can be done to make them safe and usable.

“The boat ramps that need the most urgent improvements got more responses from boat users in the survey,” he said.

“This is the first time we’ve completed this research so it’s pleasing to know what boat users really think and need. From this, we hope to use these results to inform the State Government, so ramp users are getting access to the best facilities across the state.

“The recent investment in the Portland boat ramp is a great example of money well spent, with more recreational anglers now flocking to the area to catch tuna and driving visitors to the region. We hope to see a similar investment in other regions, for example Warrnambool’s Lady Bay ramp, to bring them up to a higher standard.”

The Victorian State Government has promised to spend every dollar it collects from boat licence and registration fees, on improving facilities and safety for boaters, and to abolish boat ramp parking and launching fees.

Michael Burgess, Executive Officer of Victorian Recreational Fish, added “We urge all fishers to get on board this campaign so that strategies to reduce ‘ramp rage’ and urgent infrastructure needs can be advocated for, to make Victoria’s boat ramps better for all users.”

Boating Industry Association of Victoria CEO Steve Walker said “We look forward to seeing the survey outcomes, identifying the ‘hot spots’ and needs areas, and working with government to address them. And as a result, improving things for boaters.”

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