$44M Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme launched
The new $44 million Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme (BID Scheme) officially set sail on 2 August 2024 with its announcement at the Sydney International Boat Show. It builds on the feedback from the independent review of the Boating Now Program completed last year.
The BID Scheme will replace the previous grants program to continue investment in upgrading and maintaining public boating infrastructure owned by councils and community groups across NSW. It also allocated much needed funding for both committed and new priority dredging projects to improve safe navigation on our waterways.
The Scheme re-invests boating licence, registration and other fees collected by Transport for NSW into infrastructure that improves access to the state's waterways for recreational and commercial boaters. The BID Scheme consists of five sub-programs:
- Boating Infrastructure for Communities Grants Program – Replaces the previous Boating Now Program with greater emphasis on enhancing access for aging boaters and those with disabilities.
- Boating Infrastructure Maintenance Grants Program – Provides funding for minor repairs and maintenance of public boating infrastructure across NSW.
- Boating Infrastructure Emergency Repair Pool Scheme – Supports the repair or replacement of public assets impacted by natural disasters and severe weather events.
- Priority Dredging Program – Supports new dredging projects at key sites to ensure safe waterway navigation.
- Committed Dredging Projects – Supports committed dredging projects at Swansea, Ettalong, Coffs Harbour and Myall River, plus 10-year planning approvals for 9 high-priority areas
Registrations of Interest for the Boating Infrastructure for Communities and Boating Infrastructure Maintenance Grants Programs will be called in late 2024, with successful projects to be announced in 2025. Projects that can be funded include public boat ramps, pontoons, wharves, kayak launches, dinghy storage facilities, pump-outs and supporting assets and investigations.
Potential applicants are encouraged to make preparations to apply, with more information to be made available at the Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme webpage.
For more information about how to get involved, contact Maritime Infrastructure Delivery Office via mido@transport.nsw.gov.au.
Details of the Boating Now Program review can be found here.
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