An upgraded boat ramp at Laanecoorie Reservoir’s Brownbill Reserve is having the finishing touches applied.
Late last year a new concrete ramp was laid down and a new parking area was created to make getting out onto the water in Central Vic easier.
Gravel had been laid down along the access road and in parking areas, but now that’s being asphalted.
Ramp manager and project partner Goulburn Murray Water expects the new ramp will be out of action for about a fortnight, weather permitting. During this time the ramp is closed. You can use the BoatingVic app or website to find a nearby spot to launch – including recently upgraded ramps at Cairn Curran Reservoir.
Project Highlights:
The newly relocated boat ramp will make getting out on the water easier and reduce congestion during summer at the popular central Victorian destination.
The project has been completed thanks to $800,000 from the Victorian Government’s Better Boating Fund, which reinvests recreational boaters’ licence and registration fees.
Laanecoorie Reservoir dams the Loddon River near Dunolly and can see up to 200 users enjoying time on or in the water on a busy summer’s day. The Brownbill Reserve ramp is located near the dam wall and the Laanecoorie Lakeside Resort at the northern end of the reservoir.
The existing launching spot has been decommissioned and has been replaced with a like-for-like concrete ramp about 160m to the west of the site, with a gravel parking area featuring enough space for 12 cars and trailers.
Laanecoorie sees a mix of users with fishing popular throughout the year, while many families hit the water to ski, tow a donut or even sail during the warmer months.
Laanecoorie has been stocked with 825,000 Murray cod and golden perch since 2014 as part of the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s record-breaking stocking program, which saw 11.5 million fish released across Victoria in 2023-24.
While access to the old facility is no longer available for boats, paddlers will still be able to use it to launch kayaks and canoes. The old parking area will also remain available for boaters, paddlers and fishers casting a line from the shore, a short walk from the new ramp.