General News
25 February, 2026
Sore point
MISSION Beach’s Clump Point boating facility has come under the spotlight again, with moves being considered to lobby the state government for more funding to upgrade and improve the jetty, its vehicle access and parking.
The Mission Beach Community Association (MBCA) had its annual general meeting last week and Clump Point was a main topic on the agenda.
Clump Point is managed as a partnership between Cassowary Coast Regional Council and the Department of Main Roads and Transport (TMR), which owns the facility.
The issue of the large spaces between piles – the large column-like structures for mooring boats and attaching pontoons – and other safety concerns were discussed at the MBCA meeting.
The association’s vice-chairman Ron Sirolli, a vastly experienced mariner and boat licence trainer, says the biggest problem at Clump Point is that the piles are over 20m apart. “They’re not workable to access those you know, if you’ve got a berth, to park your boat in any crosswinds or anything like that,” he said.
“They’re designed for vessels up to about 25m, I believe, so what happens there is, you’ve got nothing to lean on or, you know, once you get in between those two piles, you end up drifting sideways really easily,” he said.
“Then you’ve also got to climb a vertical ladder, and honestly that wouldn’t even come under workplace healthy and safety requirements, you know, to sort of be transversing up and down those ladders.”
Mr Siroli said to upgrade the Clump Point facility, including “finishing off” the jetty’s pontoons and arms to improve access and safety, as well as extending the facility’s car park and widening the driveway into Clump Point, between $2 million-$3 million would be needed in state and or federal funding.
Last October Dunk Island boat transfer and ferry service operator, the Myroo Group, suspended its services from the facility over a disagreement with council about where it could berth its passenger boat, citing safety concerns.
“Pen berths are designed for typically fishing boats that tie up for weeks at a time – absolutely not day-to-day use and not safe for crew or large vessels with no piles between vessels.” Myroo’s Bry Penfold said at the time.
Member for Hill Shane Knuth attended the meeting and he was asked to look into any availability of state money.
Mr Knuth told The Observer he is in the meantime, focusing on getting the TMR and council to work better together in managing the existing facility and issues.
“It’s broad, but it’s about, you know, supporting the recreational users and also the commercial side, finding a good balance,” Mr Knuth said.
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