The existing harbour access facilities around the Portobello Boating Club's facilities are an ideal location for deep water boat access, but currently less than ideal for many other uses, such as road access and launching.

An ideal location has deep water for launching and approaching jetties, together with easy road access and space for vehicle maneuvering. Space for structures such as boatsheds is important, but the facility should not be too distant from the centre of Portobello if it is to serve as a terminus for visiting boats from outside Portobello.

The only alternative site with deep water boat access is Pineapple Rock on the western approaches to Portobello. However, although this site has plenty of room for structures and maneuvering, it is over 1.5 km from the centre of Portobello.

The existing site of the Portobello jetty and Portobello Boating Club facilities is the most suitable site for improvement of Portobello's Harbour Access Precinct.