Hervey Bay Gossip

Hervey Bay boat owners will not be happy with the news that the Queensland government is set to increase boat registration fees. Increases will range from $15 for the humble tinnie up to $360 for larger vessels.

All vessels with a motor rated at 3kw or more must be registered. You can read more about the increase in boat registration fees here

You have to wonder what it’s going to take to get through to some jet ski riders here in Hervey Bay.

On Saturday police were called to the area around the Torquay pier to deal with several riders were were allegedly racing in waters close to the beach and then beaching their skis at high speed in an area where there were young children swimming.

While there are some who might think that such behaviour might be best controlled through stricter licensing procedures there is no procedure that can test for the common sense necessary to operate water craft in any conditions. And age is certainly no indication of the level of common sense that a person might have.

 

Since the fatal boating accident in Moreton Bay last weekend there has been quite an outcry over the whole system of boating safety and the issue of boat licences. Debate on the issue was probably not helped when one Brisbane boat licence examiner claimed that the only people who failed their boat licence test were those who were blind.

While that may be his view on the situation it’s not a view shared by boat licence examiners here in Hervey Bay. Larry Burch from Aquavue, who conducts boating courses and licence examinations here in Hervey Bay in conjunction with the Australian Boating College is quite prepared to fail people who do not display the competency required to hold a boat or jet ski licence and has done so in the past.

At the same time the Minister for Transport has invited Queenslanders to have their say on a special Maritime Safety Queensland discussion paper on recreational boating safety.

“Queensland is the boating capital of Australia with almost 214,000 registered recreational vessels,” Mr Lucas said.

“Growth in boat ownership has continued to outstrip population growth by around two to one annually for the past five years. This presents some real challenges for maintaining the safety and sustainability of Queensland’s waterways.”

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Hervey Bay is about to benefit from a new funding initiative from Queensland Transport the Minister announced today.

The funding will go towards the planning of a new 2 lane boat ramp at Gatakers Landing, dredging of the entrance and internal channels at Urangan Boat Harbour and planning to widen the boat ramp at Burrum Heads.

 

If you’ve seen an unusual looking small sailing vessel out on Hervey Bay in the last week or so then you’re probably seen one of Aquavue’s Seakarts.

The Seakart by Windkart is a very easy to operate vessel that’s really a cross between a windsurfer and catamaran. The Seakarts can carry two people but are designed to be operated by just one and it seems that even complete beginners can operate these after just a short period of instruction.

New marine laws will ensure boaties are more accountable for any damage they cause to our waterways.

Transport and Main Roads Minister, Paul Lucas, said today that changes to legislation now means boat owners have new insurance requirements.

“Every year the State Government invests $7.2m to ensure we’re able to react quickly and efficiently to marine pollution,” Mr Lucas said.

“But the current laws make it difficult to recover costs from evasive marine polluters – these changes will hold them more accountable for the clean-up.”

Mr Lucas said the new legislation to the Transport Operation Act now requires all recreational and commercial boats over 15 metres long to have insurance.

Mr Lucas said the specific insurance requirements now are:

- Recreational ships more than 15 metres but less than 35 metres – $250,000 for pollution clean-up; and $10 million for salvage or removal if the ship is abandoned or wrecked;

- Commercial ships more than 15 metres but less than 35 metres – $500,000 for pollution clean-up; and $10 million for salvage or removal and;

- Any ship more than 35 metres – $10 million for both pollution clean-up and salvage or removal costs.

Mr Lucas said Maritime Safety Queensland would phase in the new requirements over 12 months to give owners time to organise the appropriate insurance cover.

“We are trying to make the introduction of these regulations as smooth as possible.”

“We will be writing to all boat owners with vessels over 15 metres to advise them of the changes.”

“The bottom line though, is that boaties have a responsibility to do the right thing on the water and ensure in the event of something going wrong they’re adequately covered to deal with it.”

Mr Lucas said Queensland Transport will enforce the changes through ensuring newly registered vessels have adequate insurance cover

“This will further be imposed with enforcement officers patrolling the water checking for compliance to the changes once they are phased in.

Maritime Safety Queensland will be contacting owners of eligible ships in the next few weeks to advise them of the new requirements. Further information can be found on Maritime Safety Queensland’s website at www.msq.qld.gov.au.