Community
19 February, 2025
Who manages Princetown’s boat ramp?
THE Princetown Boat Ramp isn’t in a state of disrepair because the asset is mismanaged – it turns out it may not be managed at all.
Western District Newspapers published an article earlier this month which voiced community concerns the Princetown Boat Ramp, located off Old Coach Road, had experienced significant deterioration and was increasingly unsafe for use.
At the time of publication, Corangamite Shire Council had been contacted for additional information but was ultimately delayed in response as all internal avenues of communication with shire assets and facilities teams showed the Princetown Boat Ramp was not on the shire’s assets register, and there was no documented history of maintenance responsibility.
Western District Newspapers contacted an expanded range of State Government entities seeking clarification on where management responsibility of the ramp fell - including Parks Victoria, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Better Boating Victoria, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA).
Each entity responded stating they were not the managers of the Princetown Boat Ramp.
A GORCAPA spokesperson said they did not manage the site as it was located within the road reserve, which it attributes to being shire-managed.
“The boat ramp is located within the road reserve and sits outside our managed estate,” the spokesperson said.
While the Victorian Government’s Boating Victoria website recognises the ramp and lists Parks Victoria as the facility manager, a Parks Victoria spokesperson said this was not the case.
“The boat ramp is not on Parks Victoria land and is not a Parks Victoria asset,” the spokesperson said.
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority manager strategy and partnerships Trent Griffiths said the CMA had only contributed to funding for erosion works and a fishing program, but do not directly manage the ramp.
“I can confirm that none of the assets in this Gellibrand River area are owned by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority nor do we have any direct management responsibilities for assets in the area,” he said.
“Through our incentives program in the past we have contributed funding to erosion control works and the building of the nearby fishing platform back in 2005, and contributed funding to building the boardwalk through the wetlands.
“In these cases, we contributed funding but did not take on ownership of the assets.
“On our mapping the area is listed as a road reserve, not owned/managed by Vic Roads. That usually means council is the responsible land manager.
“Our GIS (Geographic Information Systems) layer identifying public land managers comes from DEECA.”
A DEECA spokesperson reiterated it was not responsible as land manager.
“The Princetown Boat Ramp located at Old Coach Road on the Gellibrand River is within the road reserve of which DEECA is not the land manager,” the spokesperson said.
Better Boating Victoria, a division of Victorian Fishing Authorities which oversees structural maintenance funding at boating facilities, said it has not been involved in previous work on the Princetown ramp and has not received previous applications for funding.
“We have shared local boater feedback with Corangamite Shire Council, along with details of the Structural Maintenance Grants Program - which is expected to run again in 2025,” a spokesperson said.
While local government are typically responsible for the management of boat ramps, Corangamite Shire Council has insisted it is not responsible for the asset at Princetown.
“It is not a council asset and not maintained by council,” Corangamite Shire Council manager assets planning John Kelly said.
Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos was also contacted, and confirmed the State Government does not manage the asset.
Read More: Princetown