Northern Regional Development Board chief executive officer Jerry Johnson has welcomed the proposal, saying the facility would attract more tourists.

"If you look at the foreshore development, including the Oasis apartments, it has incited a mass transformation in Port Augusta as a tourist destination," Mr Johnson said.

"The marina will only heighten this, with people coming to use its services and mooring facilities."

The Marina Project Co has put the proposal forward, and chief executive officer Andrew Chapman said the $30 million development would facilitate recreational and commercial boats.

The proposal includes 224 berths, a residential component, fuel reserves, a waterfront restaurant and a ship lift.

"If Adelaide people knew about (the Port Augusta environment) they'd be towing their boats up on mass," Mr Chapman said.

He said that should the proposal go ahead, it would be done over three stages, and would attract more tourists to the city, as well as facilitate local recreational and commercial boat-owners.