LITTLE SHIP CLUB eNews May 2016

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14 May 2016 eNews Little Ship Club (Queensland Squadron)
With more than 250,000 registered recreational
boats plying the waterways of Queensland and over
830,000 Queenslanders holding licences to drive
them, the recreational boating sector is a critically
important component of our economy and social
infrastructure.
But having that many boats and owners can raise a wide
range of issues.
It is therefore vital that as government regulators, we
have an ordered and reliable way of engaging with them.
The Queensland Recreational Boating Council plays an
important advocacy role, which is why our officers meet
regularly with the QRBC – as they did last week for a
discussion on a range of maritime-related issues.
I always find the QRBC’s monthly meeting a useful way
to keep in touch with the recreational boating sector,
and I was pleased to see water police, marine parks
representatives and the Gold Coast Waterways Authority
also in attendance – it is indicative of the QRBC’s
standing across government.
While the QRBC’s membership comprises of around 18
boating associations and clubs in the southeast quarter
of the State, it is actively engaging with the boating
community in north Queensland in an effort to provide
assistance on whole-of-government or whole-of-state
issues.
The range of issues discussed at QRBC meetings can
be quite staggering. On Wednesday night they included
progress on delivery of recreational boating infrastructure
along our coastline, dredging programs and placement
of navigational aids (including TMR’s switching on of new
lights marking the rock wall at Manly Boat Harbour).
Outside of these ‘access’ issues we discussed regulatory
requirements for lifejackets for people with disabilities,
and methods of achieving compliance (it’s not as simple
as you might think), compulsory third party insurance for
boats, TMR’s ongoing management arrangements for the
recently-stabilised Tangalooma Wrecks, and the practical
application of the regulatory link between TMR’s motor
vehicle and motor boat driving licences.
The only low point of the meeting was one on which we
all agreed – our disappointment over reports of vandalism
to some of our offshore marine parks mooring buoys.
It seems that some familiar land-based problems do
not end at our low water mark. On a more positive note,
repairs are being planned but they will unfortunately
soak up funding that could be better used for park
management and improving access for all of the boating
community.
I’d like to thank the QRBC for its work in supporting our
recreational boaters and look forward to future meetings.
Patrick Quirk
General Manager
Maritime Safety Queensland
A quiet period this month, with only a couple of changes to
the beacons in the Outer Bar Cutting:
• A replacement beacon for BC05 has been established
in position Lat. 27°19.1500’S Long. 153°12.0887’E.
The structure is temporarily lit with a flashing white light
whilst fitout works are completed. A well, the previous
structure, adjacent to the above position, is currently unlit
whilst extraction works are completed.
[NOTAM 206 (t) 7/4/16]
• A replacement beacon for BC16 has been established
in position Lat. 27°20.7129’S Long. 153°11.1801’E.
The structure is temporarily lit with a flashing white light
whilst fitout works are completed.
[NOTAM 216 (t) 15/4/16]
QRBC news
BC16
BC05