NSW Boating Now
Project overview
The NSW Boating Now Program provides grant funding to improve maritime infrastructure and facilities across NSW. This investment supports the needs of recreational and commercial boaters and enables broader economic and social benefits for communities.
A review into the Boating Now Program was completed in September 2023 by the NSW Government. New measures were recommended to improve consistency with other government-funded grant programs as well as a renewed focus on boating infrastructure maintenance and all-abilities access.
Refer to the Review below as well as Transport’s response to the Review.
Contact MIDO@transport.nsw.gov.au for more information.
Project information
About Boating Now
The NSW Boating Now Program provides grant funding to improve maritime infrastructure and facilities across NSW. This investment supports the needs of recreational and commercial boaters and enables broader economic and social benefits for communities.
The Program is funded from boating licence, registration and other fees collected by Transport for NSW (TfNSW). Since its inception in 2014, the Program has already delivered over 388 boating projects to the benefit of boaters across the State.
Boating Now Round 4
Our customers and stakeholders in industry and local government have consistently provided feedback about the need for us to continue investing in infrastructure to support boating and improve the planning and delivery of maritime infrastructure between state agencies, local councils and industry.
The NSW Government’s Maritime Infrastructure Plan (2019 - 2024) (MIP), released in December 2018, sets out a more strategic, coordinated approach to maritime infrastructure in NSW and makes a commitment to continue to provide support for maritime infrastructure owned by councils and other delivery partners, through the Boating Now Program.
In December 2021, TfNSW announced Boating Now Round 4 to support further upgrades to maritime facilities across the state. The NSW Government is currently reviewing the Boating Now program. The applications for grants in the unfunded Round 4 of Boating Now will be considered as part of this review. Round 4 funding will build on previous Boating Now investments and will benefit boaters and communities across the State by:
- Improving the boating experience for customers by identifying projects that give waterway users better access, storage and boating facilities
- Improving safety by improving the quality of infrastructure and improving safe access to NSW waterways
- Enabling economic development by supporting increased boating participation and growth in boating-related tourism and marine industries
- Shaping successful places by improving public amenity and facilitating the improvement and activation of harbours and foreshore precincts.
Boating Now Review
The Boating Now program provided grant funding to local councils and other organizations to enhance recreational boating infrastructure and amenities, supporting the strategic outcomes of the Maritime Infrastructure Plan 2019-2024. This program reinvested approximately 50% of annual Waterways Fund revenue, generated from recreational boating fees, back into boating infrastructure. A review of the program was completed in September 2023, which was structured across four themes, sought to ensure the program's effectiveness in improving amenity, safety, and access outcomes, while unlocking the value of waterways and supporting various social, cultural, and economic activities. Transport for NSW has now responded to the Boating Now Review.
New Boating Asset Maintenance Program
The Boating Asset Maintenance Sub-Program provides up to $2 million to help boating infrastructure owners across NSW to undertake minor repair and maintenance works of boating infrastructure.
This one-off funding contribution is available for the repair and/or maintenance of boat ramps, pontoons, wharves, jetties or boat ramp car and trailer parking facilities that are available to the general boating public.
These assets must also provide direct benefits to recreational boaters and must be included on an existing annual maintenance schedule or have its own asset maintenance plan in place at the time of application.
The sub-program will fund up to $30,000 for repair and/or maintenance works per asset, up to a maximum of $60,000 per applicant for multiple assets.
Boating Infrastructure Emergency Repair Pool (BIERP)
Funding will continue to be provided to assist with emergency repairs of boating infrastructure similar to the previous Boating Infrastructure Emergency Repair Pool (BIERP). Funding requests for emergency repairs can be received at any time without the need to submit a Boating Now Registration of interest form.
More information about the BIERP is available through the BIERP Grant Guidelines.
To apply for BIERP grants, refer to the BIERP Grant Application Form.
If there are any enquiries about the guidelines and application form, please contact the Maritime Infrastructure Delivery Office via mido@transport.nsw.gov.au.
Project documents
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Attachments
Media releases
- 2 August 2022 - NSW Government provides $2 million to improve boating infrastructure
- 16 December 2021 - Boating now launches new multi-million dollar round
- 17 August 2020 - Tacoma South boat ramp opens to local boaties
- 24 July 2020 - $28 million to ramp up boating facilities