Kayak Launch Decks
- Details
- Written by: Rochelle Burr Penrith City Council (02) 4732 7777 (02) 4732 7958 council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au 601 High St Penrith NSW 2750 Australia
Get ready to paddle, explore and enjoy the Nepean River like never before with two new kayak launch decks planned to be built at the Nepean River.
Penrith City Council is proposing to build two new kayak launch decks to make it safer and easier for people of all ages to launch kayaks and other passive watercraft such as canoes and stand up paddleboards on the Nepean River.
The new launch decks are planned to be built on River Road, Leonay and at Factory Road Reserve, Regentville to create opportunities for people to access the water on both sides of the Nepean River.
Improving access to the Nepean River for fishing and kayaking was identified as a priority for our community in the Our River Masterplan (2013) and the delivery of these launch decks will be another step towards realising this vision.
Factory Road Reserve, Regentville
Concept designs for the proposed site at Factory Road Reserve include a new launch deck, access paths connecting the car park down to the water’s edge, a viewing deck, bench seating and landscaping.
River Road, between Urbane Street and Buring Avenue, Leonay
Concept designs for the proposed site at River Road include a new launch deck and access path to the water’s edge, with informal sandstone seating and planting of new trees along the embankment.
To learn more visit www.yoursaypenrith.com.au/launchdecks.
Construction is expected to start in late September 2023 with the project expected to be complete in November 2023.
To find out the locations of each kayak launch deck and all other kayak launch decks at the Nepean River, check out this interactive map.
This project is jointly funded by the NSW Government in association with Penrith City Council. Council secured a $250,000 grant under the NSW Government’s Boating Now Program and will be matching the funding.
The Our River Masterplan was developed with the local community in 2013 to provide Penrith City Council with a strategic framework for managing the river reach and associated infrastructure.
The Masterplan outlined a shared vision to celebrate, activate and protect the Nepean River and outlined key actions to connect it with the city centre, enhance its natural environment, support active and healthy lifestyles while celebrating its rich history and cultural values.
A series of planning and design principles were developed to form the strategic framework for the masterplan. These principles built upon the constraints and opportunities identified through the site analysis and community consultation:
- Our Accessible River: addressing access, circulation and wayfinding
- Our Active River: addressing recreational and leisure opportunities
- Our Cultural River: addressing the river’s rich heritage and the celebration of river culture
- Our Healthy River: addressing the river’s natural environment on land and water
- Our Managed River: addressing management and maintenance of the river.
The new launch decks at River Road and Factory Road Reserve will be another step towards creating the ‘Accessible River’ and the ‘Active River’ envisioned in the Our River Masterplan back in 2013.
Consultation - August 2023