Elizabeth Bay Marina
Client:
Roads and Maritime Services
Location:
Elizabeth Bay, NSW
Upgrading a beloved community meeting point
The existing Elizabeth Bay Marina was an ageing fixed-timber jetty structure that had deteriorated to the extent that some areas had become unfit for occupation. It offered no protection to moored vessels against the high wave climate in Elizabeth Bay, and the building floor occasionally became inundated in king tides.
RMS intended to deliver a high quality and architecturally refined marina building. Tonkin was the structural and maritime engineer from concept design through to detailed design and finally to completion of construction.
How we made a difference
Upon completion of the new marina, the client and local residents were very pleased with the outcome. Paul Faulkner from NSW RMS said, “It’s been a great achievement reaching completion on what has been a very unique, exciting, but challenging project.”
In thanking Tonkin, he noted: “The marina has been designed to withstand the elements and to last well into the future and is a credit to everyone involved and couldn’t have been delivered without a huge team effort.”
What we did
The old marina was demolished and replaced with a floating commercial marina and an over-water building (accommodating the marina office, amenities, plant, café and kayak storage). A new ramp and pontoon were specifically designed for kayak access.
The brief from RMS called for all additional facilities available at the existing marina to be retained and improved in the new facility.
RMS required that the marina building comply with Disability Discrimination Act accessibility regulations and that the floating marina complied with Accessible Public Transport guidelines. To achieve this, Tonkin set the hinged gangway design at a grade no steeper than 1:14 for at least 80% of the time, allowing for tidal water level variations.
What we achieved
Elizabeth Bay is a high energy and large wave climate in Sydney Harbour. Marina design requires consideration of the wave climate to make certain it complies with the Marinas Code, or alternatively to inform a plan of management that requires temporary relocation of vessels in high wave conditions.
With careful orientation of the marina and the introduction of a floating breakwater outer arm, the wave conditions inside the marina were mitigated to accord with the requirements of the Marinas Code. The vessel berths seaward of this outer arm were accepted by the client as requiring management in high wave conditions.
RMS desired a reduction in maintenance costs for the overwater building. Tonkin designed the floor for the enclosed parts of the building in high strength/high quality precast and in-situ concrete. Decks were designed with composite structural sections that are not subject to rot, UV degradation or pests, and which have an expected design life with no maintenance of 100 years.
