What will it take to save an 83-year-old timber jetty? Esperance, Western Australia

Heart of the Bay from Jennene & Dave Riggs on Vimeo.

How can we save this beautiful timber jetty?

I grew up in Esperance Western Australia, the tanker jetty was a favorite place for me and my friends to fish and mess around, as well as swim, feed the birds and seals as well. It saddens my soul to see this fall to waste when it could and should be protected and maintained by its heritage listing.

The local Esperance council was stopped from demolishing the original jetty in 2016 when former heritage minister Albert Jacob issued a conservation order but since then it has just sat in limbo with only barricades and fencing to stop anyone from going close as well as the platform being taken away to prevent access.

Recently the council called for design submissions from “suitably qualified consultants” for a jetty to replace it. Below is a picture of concept art which I think doesn't cut it, the original jetty should be saved.

More than 80 timber jetties were built on WA’s coast but only those in Busselton, Carnarvon and Esperance survive. The Busselton jetty had $27.1 million pumped into refurbishment by the Western Australian State Government and is a huge tourism success while the Carnarvon timber jetty has fell into what seems like the same situation as the Esperance jetty since its 2017 closure. Busselton jetty is pictured below.

Anyway, I guess we just sit in limbo along with the Esperance jetty and wonder what the actual concept for the new jetty will look like, hopefully it retains some of the old timber jetty charm which so many locals and tourists had come to love over the years. How can we change this outcome? Do any readers have an idea that might help save the original jetty? I'd love to hear any ideas you may have, please reply and thanks for reading.