In response to our advocacy regarding navigational aids in Noosa River, including whether they can be lit at night, Maritime Safety QLD (MSQ) have advised the following regarding Noosa River being classified as a secondary waterway:
Aids to navigation are established to assist navigation and ensure the safety of people, ships and property.
There are currently 85 navigational aids in the Noosa River with a further 107 signs or buoys providing information and guidance to masters.
Masters also utilise other means for safe navigation, such as reference to charts, maps, notices to mariners, the compass, tide tables, weather reports, GPS if they have them, communication with other vessels, and of course, local knowledge.
Like many Queensland coastal rivers the Noosa River is categorised as a secondary waterway and therefore the navigational aids are not lit within the river. (Rivers that are classed as primary waterways generally have considerable commercial traffic with deep draughts, with Brisbane, Mooloolaba as examples).
Noosa River can become very busy on weekends and public holidays, mainly during the day, and the natural features of the waterway are subject to constant change.
The Beacon to Beacon Guide for Noosa River provides a warning that the Noosa bar and inlet should not be crossed except with local knowledge and to navigate with caution due to constantly shifting channels and banks. Prudent seamanship and ongoing situational awareness are very important considerations for those who navigate the river system.
Recent changes to speed limits in Noosa River have resulted in extra/changed signage and buoys, however as the impacts from these changes are being monitored, it is possible that some buoys and signage may be relocated over time as needed.
With the Recreational Boating Facilities Demand Forecasting Study 2022 identifying a lack of deep-draught vessel landings as well other boating infrastructure issues, under current conditions it would be unlikely that the Noosa River could or would support the increase needed to become a primary waterway.
Further Information
Our office will also continue to report feedback from residents about these changes and other river management concerns, such as problems with navigation, to MSQ.
For anyone wishing to contact MSQ direct, please email sunshinecoast.maritime@msq.qld.gov.au or call 5373 2310 during business hours or 07 3623 3900 for after hours for incident reporting, who can advise our full-time Tewantin based officer of any issues for his follow-up or you can email him directly at msqnoosa@tmr.qld.gov.au.
The Queensland Minister responsible for MSQ is Hon Mark Bailey, Minister for Transport & Main Roads who can be contacted via transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au.
For our previous Noosa 360 updates on the Noosa River, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Noosa+River.