With a jetty for tourists on the way, should Geraldton also have a jetty for the public?

The community sentiment for a recreational jetty is still strong, according to a street poll, in the wake of news that a commercial jetty will be built — for tourism operators, not the public. Last week it was announced a contractor has been found to construct a tourist jetty on Geraldton’s esplanade, with local figures saying the project will reap significant benefits for Geraldton’s economy, and make the Abrolhos Islands a more viable location for visits. Mid West Ports Authority CEO Damian Tully said the jetty would benefit local businesses and help “unlock the Abrolhos Islands as a tourist destination”. Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton said the jetty was expected to boost visitor spend by around $1.9 million over coming years. “It will provide enormous opportunities to grow our tourism industry by servicing the Abrolhos Islands out of Geraldton,” she said. The new jetty won’t be accessible to the public, however, with Mr Tully saying it was unsafe to design a jetty for both tourism operators and the public. “Risk assessments undertaken indicate combining simultaneous commercial and recreational use is not considered safe and as such, is not supported at this time,” he said. A public campaign to build a recreational jetty has been ongoing for several years through the Facebook group, Jetty for Geraldton, and has the support of City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn and Federal MP Melissa Price. Another jetty is currently being planned by the State Government, although it has not been confirmed if it will be accessible to the public either. A jetty for the public appears to be a popular idea, according to several locals and visitors to Geraldton. “I would love for Geraldton to have a jetty,” Vera MacKenzie, 76, from Glenfield, said. “There should be one where the locals and tourists can fish off and walk off, not just specifically for tourists,” Michelle Bagley, 61, from Mingenew, said. A jetty should be a standard for a town such as Geraldton, according to Lance Bullen, 37, from Jurien Bay. “I think every coastal town should have jetty,” he said. “It would be nice,” Kara McCallum, 36, from Perth, agreed. “I grew up in Geraldton and I’ve come back for a visit, I thought we had one so it surprised me we don’t.” Geraldton did once have two public jetties, which were built in the 19th century, but were demolished during the 1940s and 50s. Now they remain in the collective memory as an example of what could be. “We could do with a jetty,” Clifton Mongoo, 48, from Wandina, said. “We used to have one years ago, we actually used to have two, they got old and torn town. I reckon it’s a good idea.” Connie McIntosh, 40, from Utakarra added: “We’ve lived here for a really long time, we used to have two, it would be great if we had one again.” For some, however, a public jetty is not a priority, and while other towns have public jetties, Geraldton has much to offer that other towns lack. Matthias Nitzsche, 44, a tourist from Germany, said a jetty would be nice, but Geraldton still had great beaches for visitors to enjoy. “You have such nice beaches, so I’m not sure it is necessary,” he said.