DAMAGE to part of the redeveloped Loxton wharf has prompted council to review the suitability of the structure for mooring.
At last Friday’s meeting of the District Council of Loxton Waikerie, infrastructure services director Greg Perry provided a report for elected members detailing the damage to the floating pontoon, which was completed in 2020.
“In early January this year, the Loxton town co-ordinator was witness to a large two-storey houseboat which came into dock at the Loxton river front with too much speed and not parallel to the floating pontoons,” he said.
“The houseboat mounted the barge board… leaving a large scar and crease which also bent the mounting brackets.
“The resulting repairs were to replace the barge board and straighten the brackets which was around two hours of work for two people.
“Unfortunately, when a large river vessel is not driven according to the conditions these types of incidents are hard to manage and control.
“This event is what prompted the current signage that is affixed to the front of the floating pontoons which reads ‘no houseboat mooring’, with an additional sign on the front of the adjacent concrete wharf both encouraging and stating ‘houseboat mooring 48 hours’.”
Mr Perry told the Murray Pioneer the floating pontoon had been designed to accommodate smaller boats.
“The pontoon gives smaller vessels more of an opportunity to pull up, because we have an area 50m upstream for houseboats to moor, which is set up much better,” he said.
“We’ll investigate putting a rubber fender around the edge to make it better for smaller craft to pull up against it.
“At the moment, it is a hard plastic and it may scratch or rub against the side of the boats.”
At January’s council meeting, elected members passed a motion for council to clarify and review the riverbank use at the Loxton Apex Park, to provide more areas for boats to pull up.