Whakatane marina plan floated

A Whakatane project first conceived in the late 1980s should soon become a reality, writes ROBIN BAILEY.

Some environmental, legal and financial hurdles are still to be overcome, but plans for a 180-berth marina at Whakatane are off the drawing board and into the marketplace.

Local businessman Trevor Hart heads the Whakatane Marina Society, which is about to go public with a plan to sign on potential marina owners. Hart and his team believe the project will draw support from as far afield as Gisborne, Hamilton and even Auckland.

The society's sales campaign is aimed at people within a two-hour driving range of Whakatane. Hart says Auckland has been included in the first target market drive because of the one factor he believes will attract northerners' interest - price.

"Our concept plan provides for berths of various sizes, with a 10.5m berth selling for $35,000 - a bargain deal compared with marinas in Auckland and the other main boating regions of the country," he says.

Keen boating couple Keith and Colleen Robinson came up with the marina plan in the late 1980s.

After Keith's death, Colleen decided to follow through on their dream and applied for resource consent in 1998.

Owner of a 36ft launch, a past president of the Whakatane Game Fishing Club and a long-time Coastguard member, she has all the credentials to pursue the challenge.

However, progress was slow until two years ago when Hart came aboard. He quickly co-opted a group of enthusiastic businesspeople to push the project. The marina society was incorporated and detailed work on the project began.

Hart says: "We've done all the sums and we have the support of the Whakatane business community. We have a prime location that offers easy access to some of New Zealand's best fishing and diving waters. All going well, the project could be completed in around two years."

The proposed site is on the right bank of the Whakatane River, the town side immediately upstream of the yacht club. The land is owned by the Crown and the marina society has the preferred development rights.

The Whakatane District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty will process various aspects of the resource consent applications. Included will be construction of a training wall (to train the river, not the boaters) to ensure an all-tides entrance to the harbour.

Next step in the development programme is signing up prospective marina berth-holders. The promotional campaign has started with the distribution of brochures and questionnaires through boat-owners, marine suppliers, chandlers, clubs, and coastguard members.

"People will be able to secure a berth by making a $500 (including GST) non-refundable deposit," Hart says. "This payment becomes the first call against the cost of the berth and we need at least 200 takers to make the project viable.

"We are also seeking information on things like the preferred length of berth, back-up services and other marina infrastructure so we can prepare a final plan based on what berth-holders want. We need to cover all the necessary services from carparks and travel lift, to provision of fuel, through to sewage and rubbish removal."

Once enough people have committed to the project, the society will create a prospectus and a new plan will be prepared and resource consents re-lodged.

The first public meeting will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday, July 24 at the Whakatane Game Fishing Club, to explain the project in detail and sign on interested boaters. If there is sufficient demand, Hart and his team will also take their presentation to other parts of the Bay of Plenty or even to Auckland if they get an indication of interest.

The society can be contacted by e-mail at whakatanemarine@xtra.co.nz or phone (07) 308 6334.