Derek_Bullock
23-04-2006, 01:51 PM
Ban on jet skis
PAUL WESTON - Sunday Mail
23apr06
JET skis are to be banned from popular Queensland beaches and rivers in a council crackdown on hooning on the water.
The tough new restrictions are likely to include tourism hot spots such as Noosa River and several Gold Coast beaches and boat ramps.
Local Government Association of Queensland executive director Greg Hallam said he expects Queensland councils will follow the lead of NSW's Byron Bay and Ballina authorities in banning jet skis.
From May 1, the New South Wales Marine Parks Authority will ban the leisure use of personal watercraft in the 22,000ha Cape Byron Marine Park, which stretches from Brunswick Heads to Lennox Head.
Mr Hallam said that after years of complaints from residents about noisy and unsafe jet ski riders, councils had been given the legal muscle to restrict their use by the State Government amending the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act.
"More councils will be doing this," Mr Hallam said.
Several serious accidents, including the death of Brisbane model Amie Evans in a Moreton Bay crash in November, have led to calls for tighter safety measures.
Noosa Shire Council is now poised to ban jet skis from much of Noosa River.
Councillor Vivien Griffin said jet skiers would be allowed to use only a 2km stretch from the Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club to the river mouth. Speed limits will also be imposed.
Cr Griffin said: "It would allow them access to the ocean, where they have more room to act like pork chops.
"The legislation has just come in on how to draft the marine proposal. We are probably three months away from doing this.
"We think Noosa will be among the first councils to move with this, but I expect there will be others."
Gold Coast councillor Rob Molhoek said his authority was likely to proceed with restrictions at boat ramps and popular beaches rather than a total ban.
"We've had an opportunity to introduce an exclusion zone," Cr Molhoek said. "If we do that, we just move the problem. If we exclude them from one place, they will go to another."
Queensland freestyle jet ski champion Peter McLoughlin said experienced jet ski operators accepted many of the restrictions on safety grounds but opposed bans on major stretches of beach.
"The majority of us are family people over 30 years of age," Mr McLoughlin said.
"We only go out for the experience of the sport.
"We don't hoon around boat ramps."
More than 8000 jet skis are registered in Queensland, with ownership rocketing by 30 per cent each year for the past four years.
From January 1 this year, all applicants for a jet ski licence will have had to have competency training.
Gold Coast Broadwater MP Peta-Kaye Croft said community opinion was divided on the issue.
PAUL WESTON - Sunday Mail
23apr06
JET skis are to be banned from popular Queensland beaches and rivers in a council crackdown on hooning on the water.
The tough new restrictions are likely to include tourism hot spots such as Noosa River and several Gold Coast beaches and boat ramps.
Local Government Association of Queensland executive director Greg Hallam said he expects Queensland councils will follow the lead of NSW's Byron Bay and Ballina authorities in banning jet skis.
From May 1, the New South Wales Marine Parks Authority will ban the leisure use of personal watercraft in the 22,000ha Cape Byron Marine Park, which stretches from Brunswick Heads to Lennox Head.
Mr Hallam said that after years of complaints from residents about noisy and unsafe jet ski riders, councils had been given the legal muscle to restrict their use by the State Government amending the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act.
"More councils will be doing this," Mr Hallam said.
Several serious accidents, including the death of Brisbane model Amie Evans in a Moreton Bay crash in November, have led to calls for tighter safety measures.
Noosa Shire Council is now poised to ban jet skis from much of Noosa River.
Councillor Vivien Griffin said jet skiers would be allowed to use only a 2km stretch from the Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club to the river mouth. Speed limits will also be imposed.
Cr Griffin said: "It would allow them access to the ocean, where they have more room to act like pork chops.
"The legislation has just come in on how to draft the marine proposal. We are probably three months away from doing this.
"We think Noosa will be among the first councils to move with this, but I expect there will be others."
Gold Coast councillor Rob Molhoek said his authority was likely to proceed with restrictions at boat ramps and popular beaches rather than a total ban.
"We've had an opportunity to introduce an exclusion zone," Cr Molhoek said. "If we do that, we just move the problem. If we exclude them from one place, they will go to another."
Queensland freestyle jet ski champion Peter McLoughlin said experienced jet ski operators accepted many of the restrictions on safety grounds but opposed bans on major stretches of beach.
"The majority of us are family people over 30 years of age," Mr McLoughlin said.
"We only go out for the experience of the sport.
"We don't hoon around boat ramps."
More than 8000 jet skis are registered in Queensland, with ownership rocketing by 30 per cent each year for the past four years.
From January 1 this year, all applicants for a jet ski licence will have had to have competency training.
Gold Coast Broadwater MP Peta-Kaye Croft said community opinion was divided on the issue.