Jetty design funding secured

At the February 2026 meeting, Council agreed to proceed with detailed design for an enclosed U-shape jetty after securing 100 per cent funding for the design work through the South Australia Constraints Measures project.

Berri Barmera Council Mayor Ella Winnall said the design work would enable the jetty project to be shovel ready to seek further external funding for construction.

“This initial design funding is a great result for both council and the community and we are extremely grateful to the SA Constraints Measures project for funding this next stage,” Mayor Winnall said.

“Council is committed to ensuring a future jetty redevelopment is financially sustainable for the community and this initial funding means the cost of this stage will be fully covered without significant impact on ratepayers.”

South Australia Constraints Measures project has committed $175,000 for detailed designs.

The U-shape jetty was the preferred design during concept consultation in 2023, with many community members citing a preference for the jetty to provide an enclosed swimming area protected from boats and jet ski users.

“Replacing the jetty without putting significant burden on ratepayers is a needle-threading exercise, but we know how important it is to the community, which is why council has been working hard to keep threading that needle,” Mayor Winnall said.

“Now that we’ve secured funding for the design stage, we will set our sights on whether the construction can be funded, too.”

Council has also assessed the depreciation and maintenance impacts of a fully funded jetty.

Financial analysis showed a fully externally funded U-shaped design could be cost neutral over its lifetime as the new design will have lower maintenance and depreciation costs than the current jetty.

“While we haven’t yet secured funding for construction of a new jetty, the detailed design phase is a significant milestone of this much-loved community asset that will put us in the best position to get there,” Mayor Winnall said.

“Being able to keep moving forward and progress projects – despite current financial constraints – demonstrates Council’s commitment to delivering positive outcomes for the community while always considering the financial sustainability of our decisions.”

The $90.79 million South Australia Constraints Measures project supports infrastructure upgrades that enhance environmental water delivery, community resilience and access during high-flow events.

The project is delivered by the Government of South Australia and funded by the Australian Government as part of the Basin Plan.