Sutherland Council has fast tracked budget funding for the upgrades to the Bundeena & Gunnamatta wharves.
The wharf upgrades had been approved in May of 2007 with half the funding coming from the NSW Ministry of Transport and the other half from Sutherland Council. In addition to the Bundeena & Gunnamatta wharves Council also has planned upgrades for wharves at both Wonga Road (Yowie Bay) and Lugano Avenue (Burraneer). The current Council budget did not allow for funding of all four wharves in the same financial year. As a result Council has transferred allocated funding from Wonga Road & Lugano Avenue to the Bundeena & Gunnamatta wharves. The Wonga Road & Lugano Avenue wharves will be funded in the 2009/2010 budget.
With funding now allocated in the 2008/2009 budget Sutherland Council is now in a position to initiate construction of the wharf upgrades. Council has had discussions with a recommended contractor for the project who estimates that construction will commence within four weeks of the award of a contract and expects construction to be completed within three months. The construction of the wharf will start at the south-western end. Approximately half of the structure will be completed before the existing wharf is affected. This will minimise disruption to users. The contractor will provide temporary public access to a serviceable wharf throughout the construction process in order to maintain access to the ferry service between Bundeena and Cronulla at all times.
The proposed wharf will consist of a timber decked steel substructure, which will be supported by steel piles and headstocks. Ramps will provide access to a floating pontoon, held in place by steel piles. Timber has been selected for the decking material as it will provide relatively good service life in the highly corrosive marine environment. In the event of damage or weathering, individual timbers can be readily replaced with relatively little impact on the ongoing operation of the facility. Steel piles, sleeved in high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are proposed for the main supporting structure. The HDPE is inert in the marine environment and isolates the underlying steel piles from oxygen so reducing corrosion. The new wharves are expected to have a service life of over fifty years.
Related Story – Bundeena Wharf Upgrade Approved