Recreational fishers now have better boating access to Upper Coliban and Barkers Creek reservoirs in central Victoria thanks to two new boat ramps.
The ramps make it much easier to launch tinnies with electric motors, kayaks and canoes, all of which are now permitted on both reservoirs.
The $250,000 ramps project was managed by Coliban Water with funding from Better Boating Victoria and the State Government’s $35 million Target One Million plan to get more people fishing, more often, in more places. Both reservoirs are popular fisheries and have shared in substantial stockings over the last two years consisting of 107,000 trout, 36,000 Murray cod and 77,000 golden perch.
At Upper Coliban Reservoir, the existing on-water access point off Premier Mine Road has been converted to a publicly accessible 40 metre boat ramp made of crushed rock to enable launching down to 60 per cent capacity. Boaters can use electric motors or paddle power only and must remove outboard engines altogether from tinnies. Work began in December to provide better car parking with defined bays. At Harcourt’s Barkers Creek Reservoir, the existing access road has been upgraded to a new ramp. There’s more car parking with defined bays, a new entry point off McIvor Road and improved stormwater drainage. Petrol powered outboard engines can now remain on boats but cannot be used. Further upgrades to amenities such as public toilets are also planned.
