Letter to Tumby Bay community from Mayor Geoff Churchett 05/06/2025
Letter to Tumby Bay community from Mayor Geoff Churchett
Dear Residents,
Recently, I wrote to advise you of the difficult decision that Council had made in relation to both the Tumby Bay and Port Neill Jetties. This letter is to advise you of further updates.
Council, at a Special Council meeting 21 May 2025, made another difficult decision, this time it is the decision to terminate the lease for the Tumby Bay Jetty on 27 June 2025, concurrent with the expiry of the Port Neill Jetty.
The termination of the lease has been made due to the deterioration of the jetty, at a greater rate than expected. The spending and works required to maintain the jetty is not in the sustainable financial capacity of our ratepayers - you the community.
This results in handing back both jetties to the State Government at the same time. We recognise that this brings forward the handback of Tumby Bay Jetty (from 21 June 2026).
Simply, it is not a good spend of public money (State or Local) to be maintaining 100+ year old ageing jetties that are nearing end-of-life.
We have written to the Minister to advise him of our decision. We are seeking the State Government and the Ministers understanding in this matter.
We have requested a meeting with Minister Koutsantonis, for us to collaboratively identify options for jetties for Tumby Bay and for Port Neill. We recognise the value of jetties to regional coastal communities.
Our concerns regarding jetties are felt in every regional coastal community in South Australia. The recent king-tide event demonstrated, in other parts of the state, the vulnerability of jetties in the harsh marine environment. At a recent Local Government Association Ordinary General Meeting, our concerns were overwhelmingly supported by councils across South Australia, metropolitan and regional, with and without jetties.
We will keep you informed. As options are identified, we will come back to the community for your feedback and guidance.
If you have any questions or feedback, I encourage you to reach out to me or my fellow Councillors.
Yours sincerely,
Mayor Geoff Churchett
District Council of Tumby Bay