CGW Masterplan Review Final Sept11.indd - City of Greater Geelong

CENTRAL GEELONG WATERFRONT MASTERPLAN 2011
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fishermen’s basin
Historically Fishermen’s Basin was home to Geelong's Fishing fl eet. Due to
the decline of commercial fi shing in Corio Bay it has ceased to play this role.
The basin now largely offers recreational mooring. A seafood restaurant is
located on the south-west corner while a linear green space, Fairnie Park,
borders the basin to the south. The Royal Geelong Yacht Club is situated to
the immediate east of Fishermen's Basin.
Public access through Fishermen’s Basin, both on the shore and the pier
structures, provides a singular waterfront experience and should be retained
in any redevelopment. The degree of intimacy that the basin offers contrasts
with other more expansive areas of the waterfront and should be protected.
Redevelopment should consider adding to the sense of enclosure of the basin
at ground level.
The loss of commercial fi shing boats could be replaced by other forms of
commercial marine activity. Regular boat operations such as fi shing charter
boats or dive operators could be encouraged to base their operations here
while retail seafood businesses that trade from boats in the basin should be
further explored.
Existing problems at the shoreline, where the shallow water combines with
storm water outfall resulting in an often upleasant visual experience, needs to
rectifi ed.
N. Fishermen's Basin
M. Yarra Street Pier
Recommendations and Specifi c Actions
• Small scale marine, leisure and tourist boat services, fi shing businesses and seafood retailing should be encouraged to replace the loss of commercial
fi shers in the Basin.
• Views from Fisherman’s Basin to the moored boats and across Corio Bay should be maintained.
• Fishermen's Basin should remain publicly accessible so that the particular scale of the smaller piers and moorings can be experienced at close hand.
• The stagnant area of shallow water along the shoreline needs to be rectified.
• Any new developments must include on-site screened enclosures for rubbish, recycling and other utilites to ensure they are visually unobtrusive.
Urban Initiatives
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