Noosa River live-aboard boat owners like Sally Hayes, Sally White and David Barnes say they have no way of moving their boats out of the river but without registered moorings have been told by Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) that from 1 January they will be allowed only a 28 day stay per financial year.
The action by MSQ is the final stage in a six-stage rollout of their Noosa River Plan which commenced implementation in September 2023.
A Transport and Main Roads (TMR) spokesperson said:
“The new Noosa River Management Plan introduces new rules, which will mean living aboard for more than 48 hours requires prior approval from MSQ. No such approvals have been granted for the Noosa River.
“The 28-day anchoring restriction has commenced, and vessel owners must comply once they reach the 28-day limit within the financial year. MSQ will address non-compliance on a case-by-case basis, considering efforts to comply and using measures such as education, directions, or prosecutions,” the spokesperson said.
“Unwillingness to move vessels is not a valid reason for non-compliance. Non-seaworthy vessels may be relocated via land, and owners are encouraged to use commercial or private pontoons and jetties. MSQ is willing to assist vulnerable vessel owners by connecting them with support services but does not support unauthorised liveaboard arrangements as a lifestyle choice.”
The boat owners are among about 40-50 Noosa River boat dwellers, 37 of whom attended a meeting organised by Sally H on 28 December to discuss their situation and options.
Retired lawyer, Cootharaba resident Chris Piesse also anchors his boat in an unregistered mooring, and attended the meeting, saying a lot of people caught up with this are people in housing crisis, people with mental health issues, people sensitive about their circumstances.
David Barnes, 78, a Noosa resident of more than 45 years, was a successful property developer, before losing his money during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and being left with his only asset, his yacht Polo.
“Until 18 months ago David lived for the past 12 years at Woods Bay, historically regarded as the safest boat mooring, near a section where international yachties would come in,” Chris said.
“MSQ, about 18 months ago, approached David and myself about moving. They identified moorings up the river as ideal places where you could move them up if they wanted them out of Woods Bay.
“We were asked to move. We did. They said there’s a new application form for live-aboard permits. Here’s the form. They were filled out and put in for processing. When inquiries were made by David and others they were told they’re being processed by head office. Since then they just froze and they’ve been gathering dust and there’s no explanation.
“What’s really triggered general frustration, enough to form the meeting, there’s contradiction here. Marine Safety is the vehicle being used to progress the Noosa River Plan. It’s ironic boats are being moved to far more exposed positions. It’s contradicting the idea of an authority primarily charged with marine safety, putting boats mainstream in the river, much more exposed to tide and wind etc.
“Since the meeting you’ve got many people looking at a housing crisis here. You’ve got a whole lot of people who have been encouraged and have lodged applications for new moorings, being told new moorings would be available. It’s just come out since Sally’s meeting, she was given a letter from Noosa MP Sandy Bolton’s office to a concerned boatie outlining what’s going on.”
In the letter it was advised they had raised concerns with MSQ but been advised “MSQ does not intend to increase the number of moorings available until after the Noosa River Plan has been fully implemented”.
“That’s the situation where under the Noosa River Plan you may have applied for a legal mooring and you’ve been encouraged to do so and you’ve been told they’re getting processed but under the Noosa River Plan if you don’t have an actual mooring permit and you’re just waiting for an application as you’ve been encouraged to do so, you get a 28 day notice of eviction, you have to leave,” Chris said.
“The idea that boats will have to be kicked off the river involves great costs.”
Sally H said it would cost her upward of $60,000 to move her boat.
“It’s so wide. It’d need two police escorts, road closures, crane on, crane off, it’s massive, and it’s impractical. The roads are not wide enough to transport a vessel like mine by road,” she said.
“On a 28-day notice you couldn’t even comply, even if you could find somewhere to move it and had the money,” Chris said.
“If they’ve already stated they’ll be more moorings, why are they putting people into a debt situation, a homeless situation, under great stress,” Sally H said. “It puts them into a position where it’s impossible for them to comply. Then they’re going to come in after that and give out moorings.
Those affected are now expecting to be issued with a “get off the river” notice.
“I’m a pensioner.,” David said. “I can’t find any affordable housing. I’ve put my name on Youturn (an organisation which assists people with homelessness which MSQ suggested he contact). MSQ said, they suggest, if you don’t feel too good, ring Lifeline.
“I can understand they don’t want to set a precedent of providing the ultimate housing solution but they’re creating the ultimate housing problem,” Chris said.
“Since MSQ intensified their work up here and encouraged people to put in applications for new moorings, being told that was going to happen, they’ve actively been removing existing moorings. More than 30 have been taken out,” he said.
“There’s going to be new moorings but it’s going to be after everyone’s been kicked off.”
Chris said they had tried to find solutions.
He said Noosa jetty builders had put forward an idea to put in safer moorings.
“There’s plenty of room on the river to shepherd boats into designated, calm-mooring spots. You could double the number of moorings on the river, make them safer, put them into areas where they’re not affecting amenity like a lot of the current boats are. I recognise the river is cluttered up with a lot of nonsense. To me the focus should be on removing derelict boats and putting in safer, more concentrated mooring areas. Then I think it would work. Then have capacity for bigger recreational boats,” he said.
Sally H put forward a solution, if you don’t use your boat in 28 days take it off the river.
“There are a lot of boats that don’t get used for many years. We’d very much like to get rid of the boats that are derelict, are eyesores,” she said.
“There are many boats just been anchored up and left.”
Sally W said for her to give up the boat, “where would I go”.
“If you want my boat off the river buy her off me. It’s not fair at all,” she said.
Chris suggested they give permits of a temporary nature – permits to say they can stay but if they leave it’s extinguished.
In a letter to one houseboat owner MSQ general manager Kell Dillon said MSQ developed the Noosa River Plan “to address safety, access and environmental issues resulting from congestion in the Noosa River”.
He said the plan development followed “extensive stakeholder and community consultation and engagement since 2021″ which included consultation through the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Group (NRSAG), a stakeholder group of local community members from a wide background, co-chaired by me (representing MSQ) and the Chief Executive Officer of Noosa Shire Council”.
A MSQ media release in September stated, “from 1 January 2026, vessels over 5 metres in length will be limited to a maximum of 28 days anchoring per financial year across the Noosa River and adjoining waters. But once the 28-day limit is reached, they must not return until the following financial year.
“Long-term on-water storage of vessels at anchor will no longer be permitted. Vessels on Maritime Safety Queensland registered moorings will not be affected.
“This includes all waterways and tributaries within the system – including Noosa Sound, Lake Weyba, Lake Doonella, Lake Cooroibah, Lake Cootharaba, the Noosa River Everglades and connected creeks.”
Noosa MP Sandy Bolton said: “the community has been heavily involved in developing the Noosa River Management Plan since 2021 through the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee and subsequent rounds of community consultation.
“From the outset, we have sought assurances that anyone at risk of homelessness or hardship are connected with appropriate housing and support services, such as Youturn who have been assisting,” she said.
“MSQ continues to work closely with non-compliant vessel owners to explore their options, and we encourage anyone experiencing special circumstances to contact MSQ by calling 5373 2310 or emailing MSQNoosa@tmr.qld.gov.au as soon as possible.”
The live-aboard boat owners told Noosa Today they had not been consulted in developing the Noosa River Plan.
“I tried to join in. It was not a public meeting. It was not publicised,” Chris said. “I think a lot of consultation was stage managed. I think the boat owners were lulled into a false sense of security.”
“There was no consultation with us,” Sally H said. “I was given a form from MSQ (after the fact) to say they had consulted the community at large.”
Sally H asked boat owners at the meeting if anyone was consulted prior. “Zero people had been,” she said.
Sally W, who has lived on her boat for four years and works in the community, said there was no consultation with her.
“At the meeting 37 boats were represented. So many people are facing homelessness. They don’t have the means to move their boats. They can’t go to sea. These are good people, they’re just hitting the wall,” Sally W said.
In a media release MSQ said the number of moorings in the Noosa River would be maintained at 119 (which has been the limit for many years), with no new moorings planned.
