General News
29 August, 2026
Jetty works out of budget
FRUSTRATION has reached a peak among local boaties after Cassowary Coast Regional Council formally ruled out funding the repair of the Perry Harvey Jetty stairs for the 2026/27 financial year, leaving the future of the deteriorated structure in limbo.
The Mission Beach Boating Association (MBBA) has campaigned for months to have the damaged stairs and attached platforms replaced.
The old stairs were removed earlier this year.
While council maintains the jetty is primarily for fishing and viewing, the MBBA argues the access point is crucial during good weather for vessel transfers and serves as a vital overflow option when the Clump Point Boating Facility is overwhelmed.
In official correspondence responding to questions from the MBBA, council confirmed the existing stairs possess structural issues that make on-site repairs unfeasible.
“Renewal of the stairs was considered as part of the development of council’s 2026/27 budget; however, other projects were prioritised,” the council statement read, effectively shutting down municipal funding for the project this financial year.
MBBA vice president Paul Howell said he was deeply disappointed over the decision, noting that the association had exhausted its political avenues after raising the issue in state parliament through local MP Shane Knuth.
“What I think is that we’ve taken this all the way to parliament ... and the minister said that it’s not a boating facility, and therefore that just shut down the argument, basically,” Mr Howell said.
He said that any future push would probably require a broader grouping.
“If the community wanted it rebuilt, it’d have to come down to other organisations such as tourism, fishing groups and community associations to get together ... as far as the MBBA, we’ve pretty much exhausted our avenues.
“However, we would support these other groups.”
The setback at Perry Harvey Jetty comes amid growing safety concerns across Boat Bay at the Clump Point Boating Facility.
At the MBBA’s recent annual general meeting, members highlighted severe safety risks caused by inadequate lighting during early morning and nighttime operations, specifically citing unlit stretches along the tree corridor, restricted access areas, and the launch zone.
While council said that lighting adjacent to the public amenities at Clump Point had been repaired and that a formal procurement process for additional lighting was underway, the MBBA disputed the progress, reporting that the public amenity area remains dark.
“It’s still way too dark. They haven’t done anything,” Mr Howell said. “They’re saying that they’re in a procurement process ... I don’t know if that’s just what they’re saying because they won’t give us a timeframe on anything.”
Council has confirmed that improvement works will go ahead but is unable to provide a timeframe.
Read More: Mission Beach