Frustrated boat owners at Wollongong's Belmore Basin are seeking immediate action to repair a "disintegrating" breakwater that is now in a dangerous state of disrepair.

The owners say their complaints to Council and local state MP Paul Scully have fallen on deaf ears and they're running out of options. They contacted Neighbourhood Forum 5, a community advocacy group for central Wollongong, which has taken up their cause.

Inviting The Illawarra Flame for a stroll along the breakwater, Mark North, from Mount Ousley, who has moored boats in the harbour for the past 35 years, said he's at a loss to understand how bad the condition of the structure needs to be before anyone takes the situation seriously.

The majority of the three-metre-wide pathway along the top of the breakwater is a crumbling mess, in one patch there's a half a metre deep hole. The biggest concerns for boat owners are the safety of people accessing the breakwater but also the rocks along the path "that people are using as missiles to throw at our boats".

Boats are 'sitting ducks'

Mark said the boats moored closest to the breakwater less than 20 metres away are "sitting ducks" for hooligans who decide to use the water craft for target practice.

"The condition of the wall is appalling and it needs to be fixed as soon as possible."

John Somerset, from Kanahooka and Maxine Lacey, from West Wollongong, say rock throwing has always been a problem but as the condition of the wall has deteriorated it has only got worse.

They said most boats in the harbour have been damaged, with hulls chipped, windows and solar panels cracked or smashed. Cumulatively, the damage bill runs into the tens of thousands of dollars.

"We are constantly worried every time we come to our boats that there will be more damage and the first job we do is clear the rocks off the boats," John said. "If there are major events held in Wollongong they happen down here at the harbour but the state of this wall is an embarrassment and a danger."

Disintegrating wall 'urgently needs to be sealed'

"This is an area located right next to the Blue Mile, the pride and joy of Wollongong," Maxine said. "And here we have a disintegrating breakwater which urgently needs to be sealed.

"If this was a small harbour in Mosman, this would be nice and pristine and in great condition; but this is Wollongong and no one seems to care," Maxine added.

The lack of basic maintenance and upgrades has already seen a number of boat owners leave Wollongong to moor their craft elsewhere, according to John.

"It's getting to the stage where I'm considering selling up," Mark said.

Unhappy with the government response

Late last year, having complained to Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, Maxine was far from happy with the response.

Mr Scully wrote to the Minister for Transport, Jo Halen, seeking her advice. She said: "Transport for NSW advises rock pavement pathway surfaces are common and deemed a suitable material for marine coastal infrastructure, used along many coastal breakwaters in NSW, as is the case for the North Wollongong breakwater. Coastal breakwater consist of rock material which vary in size and shapes, compacted but exposed to weathering and ocean overtopping. This causes uneven surfaces over time and material to dislodge." 

The Minister added that Transport for NSW is of the opinion that maintenance or upgrades involving complete removal of rock material at this location "would not be achievable due to the exposed nature of the breakwater and costs associated with ongoing maintenance. I am advised Wollongong breakwater will be routinely maintained to a standard which will include replacing similar rock mediums onto the crest walkway."

Breakwater now extremely dangerous

The boat owners the Flame spoke with say there has been no "routine maintenance" on the breakwater possibly for a decade and it is now extremely dangerous.

"The solution is there and it's simple," John Somerset said. "Just put a surface down that is safe, and the problem is solved."

The boat owners said contacting police about the rock throwing is pointless because they require information about when the incidents occurred and any potential suspects. They felt a surveillance camera might act as a deterrent if it was well located.

Unhappy with the response from the Member for Wollongong, they plan to invite Mr Scully for a walk along the breakwater so he can see first-hand just how bad the situation now is.

Neighbourhood Forum 5 is supporting the boat owners and has asked Council and the NSW Government "to advise of progress on resurfacing its disgraceful condition and controlling on-going bombardment of vessels with dislodged rocks".

Jeremy Lasek is a member of Neighbourhood Forum 5.