Port Stephens Council has received at least two Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the continued operations of a sailing club in Salamander Bay, which is said by many experienced sailors to provide the best dinghy sailing conditions on the entire eastern seaboard.
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A spokesperson for the Port Stephens Sailing and Aquatic Club (PSSAC), which has been in operation carrying out junior and adult sail training and competition for 40-plus years, told the Examiner that the club had lodged its EOI on August 28 "on behalf of the members".
Also lodging an application was the Wickham-based Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. CEO Paul O'Rourke said that the club proposes to use its vast resources to bolster and grow the sport of sailing in Port Stephens.
"This club runs fully accredited Australian sailing courses and we have the largest junior sailing academy in the state," said Mr O'Rourke, a former Sail Port Stephens regatta director.
"Our junior numbers have grown significantly in recent years and we now have sailors of all levels coming from the wider Hunter area, Central Coast and Port Stephens.
"If successful [with the EOI] we would expect to have between 40 and 50 sailors, juniors and adults, attending weekend regattas and trials in beautiful Port Stephens."
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Mr O'Rourke said the club would support the existing Port sailing community by providing its professional academy and regatta resources and continuing to run both junior and adult learn to sail courses.
"We see this as a long-term investment into Port Stephens sailing. Salamander Bay is known nationally as being one of the best waterways for sailing and it is our intention to ensure its ongoing viability."
Mr O'Rourke said that the clubhouse - which was built by volunteer members some for the Port Stephens sailing community - would be upgraded to be more "fit for purpose" and would continue to be used for training rooms, functions and storage.
EOI submissions closed with the council on August 30. A council spokesperson said that in the interests of protecting applicants' privacy, they could not reveal names or organisations who had made submissions.
Asked if this was the first time the council had sought an EOI for a sporting facility, the spokesperson responded: "We previously went to EOI for the Boat Harbour Tennis Courts [and] we currently have Medowie out to an EOI. It depends entirely on the specifics of an asset."
The council said it took seriously health and safety concerns for all buildings across the LGA. "If any WHS issues are identified, we take this seriously and follow appropriate process," the spokesperson said.
