Maritime Safety Queensland is continuing to implement the Noosa River Waterway Management Plan through a staged and considered approach.
Stage five took effect from 31 May and introduces a no anchoring zone for the areas:
– Within 30 metres of the northern shore of the Noosa River from the Coastal bar to the southern entrance of Lake Cooroibah, including within 30 metres of Goat and Bobbi Islands.
– Within 30 metres of the southern shore of the Noosa River from Lake Doonela to Lake Cooroibah, including Wooroi Creek and within 30 metres of Makepeace and Sheep Islands.
– The staged implementation has already introduced important zoning measures such as speed limits and anchoring restrictions, alongside a broader package of initiatives designed to increase safety, improve access for all waterway users and protect the environment and the river’s ecosystem.
Stages one to four of the Noosa River Waterway Management Plan have been successfully implemented. These stages focused on:
– Addressing derelict and unseaworthy vessels, and ensuring compliance with pollution regulations
– Introducing lower speed limits in safety-critical zones
– Implementing anchoring restrictions to reduce pollution, improve amenity and ease congestion in the lower Noosa River.
What’s next?
Stage six is scheduled to begin on 1 October.
This stage will limit all vessels over five metres to anchoring for no more than 28 days per financial year in the Noosa River below Lake Cooroibah. This is a staged program, and future stages will expand these limits across the broader Noosa River system.
MSQ is committed to implementing the Noosa River Management Plan in full, which was endorsed through extensive community and stakeholder consultation from 2021.
The staged approach to the delivery of the Noosa River Management Plan ensures responsible implementation of the program – balancing immediate safety concerns with community expectations and allowing time for members of the community who may be affected by the reforms to adapt and comply.
While the plan is being rolled out, vessel owners are reminded of their obligations to maintain a seaworthy vessel and comply with all safety and pollution regulation.
MSQ officers will continue active patrols of the Noosa River and its tributaries to ensure compliance with safety and pollution regulations.
