Following extensive advocacy for 6 years and community consultation since 2021, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) has provided the below information on the next tranche of management changes for greater safety in and on our river including a timeline:

  • Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) is progressing reforms for the Noosa River to increase safety and improve environmental impacts and the overall amenity of the river for all users.
  • Stage 1 of the reforms was the introduction of new 6 knots speed zones in certain areas of the river in September 2023.
  • The next steps are reforms that will be implemented in stages over the next 15 months including the issuing of ‘notices to comply’, removal of derelict or abandoned vessels and the establishment of further “no anchoring zones”.
  • MSQ is committed to supporting the community while these reforms are put in place – vulnerable community members will be supported through relevant agencies and outreach programs.

Following extensive stakeholder and community consultation since 2021, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) is continuing to implement a suite of marine safety and pollution reforms for the Noosa River that commenced in September 2023.

The first stage saw a series of speed limitations introduced in the river. These were very successful, with good feedback from the community over the summer months.

MSQ will now move to the next stage of the reform process by issuing ‘notices to comply’ to owners of vessels that were identified as non-compliant in audits MSQ completed in the leadup to implementing the reforms.

In Stage 3, vessels that do not comply, or that are unseaworthy and abandoned, will be required to be removed from the river between May and August 2024.

Stage 4 of the program, commencing in July 2024, will see a ‘no anchoring’ area established for all vessels over 5 metres and applied to:

  • 60m from the busy southern shore of Noosa River from Noosa Sound to the entrance to Lake Doonella
  • across Noosa Sound and up to Woods Bay
  • the “dog beach” area, south of the river entrance.

Vessels 5 metres or less, including tenders, will be able to anchor within the restricted area, in order to access shops, services or engage in recreational activities. Vessels over 5 metres may access the shoreline to set down and pick up passengers but are not permitted to anchor or ground. All vessels must comply with the speed limits for this area and not cause obstructions or navigation hazards to other waterway users.

This information is also available on the flyer at www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SC-182-MSQ-No-Anchoring-Noosa-Flyer-A4.pdf

Stage 5, starting in October 2024, will see MSQ create a “no anchoring” area for unoccupied vessels over five metres in length, for a host of safety reasons.

The final Stage 6 will see a 28-day anchoring restriction introduced for Noosa waterways, commencing in March 2025, with a designated implementation period for vessel owners to comply by June 2025.

As stages 5 and 6 are awaiting changes to legislation, further detail can’t be confirmed until this has occurred.

Education and communication with the public is a priority for MSQ as the process of implementing the reforms is progressed.

The changes are being introduced after MSQ undertook a consultative approach to address community concerns regarding safety, amenity and pollution of Noosa River. This included the formation of a stakeholder advisory group known as the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee (NRSAC).

The NRSAC was co-chaired by MSQ and Noosa Shire Council and involved a broad range of community and business stakeholders who worked to provide recommendations for proposed reforms to improve management of the river.

MSQ took an agreed program of initiatives to formal public consultation during December 2022 to February 2023 and specifically sought feedback on the proposed anchoring and speed limit changes for the river.

A 6 knots speed limit was introduced for the most heavily-used southern shores of the river in September 2023, and MSQ received positive community feedback on the first stage of the Noosa River safety initiatives.

Further information on the management of vessels on the Noosa River management plans can be found on MSQ’s website.

Our Noosa River is the ‘beating heart’ of our community, bringing great joy to so many. However, as visitor numbers have increased over the last decade, so has the need for better management for the safety of all users and for the health of our river.

This has been a long journey for our community, and Sandy thanks all who have contributed including residents who gave feedback, members of the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee, and to the teams from MSQ. In addition, to the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and the Department of Environment and Science for understanding the importance of providing supports for our residents experiencing hardship that may be impacted by this transition, and their assurances regarding.

Education and communication are vitally important over the coming months, and Sandy also asks our community to assist MSQ in these endeavours. The changes outlined may not be exactly what was sought by some, however sharing space requires some compromise between all who love our river.

More information on the changes are available at www.msq.qld.gov.au

Further Information

In response to our advocacy regarding navigational aids in Noosa River, including whether they can be lit at night, MSQ have provided a response which is available at www.sandybolton.com/noosa-river-navigational-aids-september-2023.

For a summarised history of the advocacy journey and the roles of the different levels of government in relation to the Noosa River, please read Sandy’s article at www.sandybolton.com/mp-media-the-whole-noosa-river-story-noosa-today-april-2024

Our office will also continue to report feedback from residents regarding river management concerns, such as problems with navigation, to MSQ. For anyone wishing to contact them direct, please email sunshinecoast.maritime@msq.qld.gov.au or call 5373 2310 during business hours or 07 3623 3900 for after hours for incident reporting, who can advise our full-time Noosa based officer of any issues for his follow-up or you can email him directly at msqnoosa@tmr.qld.gov.au.

Further direct advocacy regarding this or any other matters related to TMR can be directed to the Queensland Minster for Transport and Main Roads via transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Please cc’ our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward any response you receive to us.

For our previous Noosa 360 updates on the Noosa River, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Noosa+River.