Following community consultation in February 2022, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) have advised the following:
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) has introduced new boating speed limits on the Noosa River to increase safety Enforcement officers will be active on the river to ensure boaties stick to the rules, including the new speed limits.
The southern shore from Noosa Sound to Lake Doonella and the Dog Beach areas near the Noosa River entrance are now permanently limited to six knots.
The move is the first in a package of initiatives MSQ is phasing in to improve safety on the river as it implements a new Noosa River management plan.
The new speed limits have been initiated following extensive public consultation including with Noosa Shire Council and community representatives in 2021 and 2022 and broader public consultation in December 2022 and January 2023.
Consultation involved feedback on several proposals, including speed limits, and river management considerations to manage the number of vessels and minimise abandoned and unsafe vessels. The changes will improve on-water safety and address concerns about amenity and the environmental impact of vessels on Noosa River. The new six knots areas are aimed at enhancing the safety of all users, while recognising the shared value of the waterway.
Existing speed limits for the river, including the normal “distance off” rules and areas that have temporary six knots speed limits in place for peak holiday periods, remain in place.
Boaties are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new rules to ensure they are compliant. All speed limits will be enforced by MSQ officers and partner agencies such as the Queensland Police Service. Speeding is one of boating’s “fatal five” in Queensland and all boaties are reminded to operate their vessel safely and be aware of their surroundings.
However, it is not just about speeding. All boaties are reminded there is a general safety obligation to operate your vessels safely at all times. The operations of your vessel can affect the safety and property of others. MSQ enforcement officers will focus on educating boaties, including about lifejackets and other regulatory arrangements, but will not hesitate to issue fines, if necessary. Work is continuing to implement other aspects of the vessel management plan, such as anchoring limitations
Please see the updated Noosa River Speed Maps below:
This is the first of several initiatives to improve safety, equity of access and better management of our river and has arrived after a long journey involving the work of the Noosa River Advisory Group, community consultations, and lots of vibrant debate.
The initial focus will be on educating river users of the changes, though enforcement actions will be taken where safety is put at risk.
Reviews on these changes will be undertaken over the coming months, as well the balance of initiatives which involve legislative amendments, and we will update as more is available. Thank you to all who participated over the years, and as Sandy has said previously, this may not be 100% of what was sought by some, however sharing space includes some ‘give’ on all sides.
Further Information:
In response to our advocacy regarding navigational aids in Noosa River, including whether they can be lit at night, Maritime Safety QLD (MSQ) have provided a response which is available at www.sandybolton.com/noosa-river-navigational-aids-september-2023
Our office will also continue to report feedback from residents about these changes and other river management concerns, such as problems with navigation, to MSQ. For anyone wishing to contact MSQ 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.
The Queensland Minister responsible for MSQ is Hon Mark Bailey, Minister for Transport & Main Roads who can be contacted via transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au.
For our previous Noosa 360 updates on the Noosa River, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Noosa+River.