Port Augusta City Council, South Australia, has begun demolition of the historic Eastside jetty but plans are afoot for the timbers to live on in artworks and furniture that will decorate the foreshore redevelopment.
The jetty, which has been out of service since 2014, was found to have a range of structural issues that rendered it unsafe.
Further investigation in 2017 revealed the jetty pylons had deteriorated to the point the structure could not be easily repaired and would instead require full replacement.
Unfortunately the cost of replacement of the jetty was well beyond the financial capability of Council.
Instead the unsafe structure will be demolished and Council will focus on redeveloping the foreshore.
Recognising the significant history of the jetty, several of the timbers will be kept for future artworks or furniture pieces as part of the Eastside foreshore redevelopment, or used as artwork pieces within Port Augusta.
A small section of the jetty will be retained (approx. 3.5 metres) which will provide a viewing deck and signage, which will highlight the significance of the Jetty to Port Augusta.
Council will be preparing a design for the foreshore upgrade area over coming months and community input will be sought, including ideas on re-purposing the jetty timber into artworks or furniture.
