Cockburn Council has endorsed community consultation and public advertisement of the proposed stage 4 expansion of Port Coogee Marina.
The $4.1m (ex GST) proposal would create 32 private pens and four public berths on a public jetty, taking the total number of pens to more than 260.
The City plans to advertise the proposal and seek public comment by the end of the year, with a report provided for Council consideration early in 2026.
The stage 4 plans were recommended in a business case report by Perth-based maritime facility planner Urbis, and Council endorsement of consultation and advertisement was achieved at its 12 August Ordinary Meeting.
The report found the project would create strong social, community, tourism and economic benefits, improved safety, and better financial returns for the life of the infrastructure.
Port Coogee Marina has waitlists for 235 pens, with those between 8-15m in greatest demand. Waitlists for many boat sizes had closed due to long existing waitlists. These size pens were also in demand across Perth, with other marinas experiencing similarly high waitlists.
The recommended concept proposes aluminium gangways and a combination of floating jetty pontoons to cater for 32 private pens comprising:
- 6 Jet Ski pens
- 14 x 10m pens
- 3 x 12m pens
- 9 x 15m pens.
Port Coogee Marina is at 90 per cent capacity and further demand is predicted in line with an increase in Cockburn’s population from 135,150 to 178,010 by 2036, and a corresponding need for enhanced sporting and recreational facilities.
Boat ownership levels are increasing across Perth and in surrounding areas, along with a rise in the demographic of people more inclined to own boats and participate in recreational boating.
There is demand from as far south as Rockingham due to the high number of residents with boats and the lack of facilities south of Cockburn to Mandurah.
The report concluded an expanded marina would produce an economic value of about $3m annually.
Consideration of a ferry terminal for commercial services to Wadjemup Rottnest Island and Garden Island was not prioritised due to feasibility uncertainty, but may be considered in future years as the surrounding area develops.
Car parking was outside the scope of the business case analysis but it was determined there is sufficient public parking within the marina village precinct to cater for marina users, in accordance with the applicable parking standards and the Port Coogee Traffic and Parking Plan.
It was recognised car parking would not be for the exclusive use of pen holders and was accessible for unrestricted public use.
The City recently amended a reserve on Maraboo Island to enable 29 existing car bays to be used for marina use. It is also examining if further car parking can be provided on a commercial basis for the exclusive use of pen holders.
The Urbis report was completed with input from the City, the Department of Transport, Frasers Property, marina and yacht clubs, commercial cruise operators and pen holders.