For those of us who love to sail to the Furneaux Group, with all their challenges, the proposed harbour and marina at Lady Barron might come as a mixed blessing:

www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjH07L9rI7lAhXfHDQIHelxBOcQFjAAegQIABAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flinders.tas.gov.au%2Fclient-assets%2Fimages%2FCouncil%2FDownloads%2FAgendas%2F2017.09%2FAnnex%252013.%2520B7.%2520Safe%2520Harbour%2520Final%2520Report.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0wRhUa-cIImLuOFY1KyBzS

On the one hand, it would be great to tie up to a pontoon in flat water after a long passage. But one of the attractions for me has been the isolation, with only the odd one or two other yachts berthed there on my visits, and I can see it ending up like Refuge Cove during the holidays.

One thing they will have to do if it attracts more recreational craft is to sort out the approach from the eastern side of the island through the Pot Boil. The shoals move with each storm and even if you are on the leads you can end up in trouble. I have listened in to VHF maydays there on two of my visits. Both skippers were experienced sailors. And when I sailed out that way I had the (normally very accurate) Bidata showing zero under my 1.2m keel for a minute or so, despite being in the white sector (3.2m on the chart) at half tide. I guess a decent degree of heel saved me from a few bumps. I would not do it again without first checking with the locals.

Cheers, Graeme

We copped a nasty westerly when tied up at the pier in early Feb on our way to Hobart. Knew it was coming so had lines to hold us off the boat we where rafted up to and them from the pier. I'm with you on the less boats around that part of the world the better.

Im not going to read the 217 page report, but we did have to stop by there once - unplanned, approaching late at night in poor weather from the east through pot boil. Yep, everything you guys said.

I cannot speak too highly of the locals - We managed to get our diesel topped up, hot breakfast, and have a good laugh!! Thank you Flinders Island!!

Sighted an interesting poster at the local....

Be a complete **** up.
Be like the Dover wharf.
$4.0 mil in taxpayers money to build a new wharf where as a recreational boater you are threatened with violence if you dare tie up there even if just to water and passengers.
With one exception that is not by the locals however, but usually out of town crayboats that use the whole wharf as their own private free of charge marina for weeks at a time.
Wharf even has loading bays but don't let stop anyone from getting a permanent morring
Hope someone from the Council or MAST is reading this.

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lydia said..
Be a complete **** up.
Be like the Dover wharf.
$4.0 mil in taxpayers money to build a new wharf where as a recreational boater you are threatened with violence if you dare tie up there even if just to water and passengers.
With one exception that is not by the locals however, but usually out of town crayboats that use the whole wharf as their own private free of charge marina for weeks at a time.
Wharf even has loading bays but don't let stop anyone from getting a permanent morring
Hope someone from the Council or MAST is reading this.

Why not formalise your complaint and lodge it with both Council and Maritime Police?

I do not envisage Lady Barron ever getting the traffic of Refuge Cove... yet the views from Flinders Island are more spectacular.

My understanding from talking to an engineer involved in the project is that the draft in the marina will be very low, like 2m at high tide!!

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rumblefish said..
My understanding from talking to an engineer involved in the project is that the draft in the marina will be very low, like 2m at high tide!!

The report talks of a proposed 2m maximum vessel draught, so maybe a bit of misunderstanding there. But that still rules out a lot of boats, including the Sydney-Hobart and Melbourne-Hobart/Devonport boats on their return delivery trip.