More than 40 people attended a drop-in session at the Pavilion on Sunday to share their thoughts about the port area, with more feedback flowing into council via emails, phone calls, written submissions and online surveys.

The council’s acting manager of facilities and projects Ben Storey said there had been good input from local fishermen about the need for more car park options and wider boat ramps.

“We (also heard) a lot from fisherman arriving between 4am and 6am that they would like better access to public amenities, increased lighting, and more security around carparking,” Mr Storey said.

Other issues raised were the ugliness of the carpark area and ideas around improving traffic flow.

Mr Storey said he was also surprised to hear from a number of people asking about the possibility of lifting the ban on swimmers jumping off the breakwater.

“I didn’t realise it was as important as it is – some people see it as a rite of passage,” he said.

“Currently it’s (banned) and we expect people to respect that. But if there’s a way we can offer the opportunity for people to do that in a safe manner, we’ll need to consider it.”

Consultation for this phase of the process concludes on Friday. Visit council’s website for more information.