The Boat Ramp and Finger at the Cape Jervis Port are long overdue for repairs and major upgrades, according to the District Council of Yankalilla, but there is no likelihood of a quick fix.

The council has had estimates to perform upgrades to the infrastructure at $250,000 but says it is not in a position to allocate this major expenditure without assurance of longevity of the area.

The Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) owns the land and the council only has a current licence for the care and control of the area, which can be cancelled at any time with one calendar months’ notice.

DIT has informed the council that it is unable to extend this licence agreement until after the tender to provide ferry services to Kangaroo Island has been awarded and the new operator’s infrastructure location requirements become known.

The existing ferry operator lease will expire July 2024 and while the state government has already released the tender the results are not yet known. 

The council says it will continue to work with the state government to secure a longer licence term to allow planning for upgrades to occur. 

It will also continue to advocate for the construction of a Masterplan over the whole area.

The land at the Cape Jervis Port has a mixture of ownership, comprising the state government – Ministries of Transport and Environment; and the federal government via the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, where the Helipad is located.

Although the council does not own any of the land, it has agreements in place for the care and control over the boat ramp and finger; the sealed section of the carpark; the public toilet; and the lookout.