A Gold Coast houseboat has washed up on the beach but clean up is far away

A MAN is trying to clean up the debris after his houseboat fell apart and he lost “everything”. But no one knows who is responsible to remove the remaining parts of the vessel.

THE authorities responsible for the Gold Coast waterways are under fire once again after houseboat has washed up completely destroyed overnight.

The owner of the vessel has been left to his own devices to remedy the dangerous situation as the bureaucracy has been unable determine just which department should assist in removing the debris from the busy canal at Land's End Biggera Waters.

Two men trying to remove parts of the collapsed houseboat from the water. Photo: Emily Halloran

The house boat reportedly began sinking at 3.20pm yesterday, when it was spotted by a man from the beach.

The 33-year-old witness attempted to enter the boat by smashing though the windows in an attempt rescue anyone who was potentially on-board.

He received multiple lacerations to his body and as taken to the Gold Coast Private Hospital to be treated.

The house boat was found to be empty, as the owner was at work.

Water Police Senior Sargent Jay Notaro said police were aware of the situation.

“The Gold Coast Water Authorities called the owner to ask if there was anything hazardous on the boat. There was reported to have a generator with fuel but that was about it,” he said.

“it’s an old boat that has fallen apart.”

“There was a man passing by who noticed the boat sinking and he was worried someone may have been on the boat and entered in.”

Sargent Notaro said it would be the responsibility of Gold Coast Waterways to clear the debris still floating in the water.

However when questioned Gold Coast Waterways referred the Bulletin back to police.

The owner of the houseboat who would not be named was at work at the time of sinking.

“I had a phone call from the police to say my houseboat has sunk,” he said.

“I was told I needed to cleaned it up as I could get a fine for pollution.”

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A man helping to remove large parts of the dismantled houseboat. Photo: Emily Halloran

He and four others have been out in the water pulling out furniture and large items of the boat.

They have not been contacted by the Waterways Authority, nor advised on the procedure.

He said he is unsure how he is expected to remove the whole roof of the vessel as well as the bottom of the boat, which is currently being held by an anchor.

“This is everything I own.”

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Items of the houseboat piled up on the sand at Land's End, Biggera Waters. Photo: Emily Halloran

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Greg Bowman also owns a houseboat on the Broadwater and isn’t impressed by the slow action on the matter.

He said no official efforts have been made to prevent fuel and toxic waste being released from the vessel.

“The whole thing is wrong. There is pollution coming out of the boat. There should be someone there being held completely accountable for what’s happened,” Mr Bowman said.

“Who ever is in charge should be going out and checking these boats to make sure they are in usable condition.

“This guy could just walk away and not clean the boat up and it would just be left there.”

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The house boat owners ute piled with debris from his crumbled houseboat at Biggera Waters. Photo: Emily Halloran

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Abandoned and derelict boats have been in issue in Gold Coast waters for years.

The Gold Coast Waterways Authority annually contributes around $70,000 to clean-up efforts, including the refloating of sunken boats, with salvage the primary responsibility of the owners.

Two years ago before the 2018 Commonwealth Games the Maritime Safety Queensland estimated the clean up cost as much as $6 million.

A large piece of the house boat on the sand at Biggera Waters.

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Broadwater MP David Crisafulli said he wants firmer rules to be enforced and for more resources.

“This should be thee jewel in the Gold Coast tourism and environment crown but as it stands what we have is an environmental and social eyesore on our doorstep,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Nobody is denying someone the ability to live on their vessels but there are rules in place.

“There are so many agencies and little bits and pieces of control and in the end there is nobody taking full responsibility for it.

“It is an environmental disaster and it must end.”

This is the second vessel that has sunk on Gold Coast waters in two weeks.

Maritime Safety Queensland has removed a sunken 16-metre fishing boat from its resting place in the Coomera River as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s ongoing War on Wrecks campaign.

Debris from a houseboat which disintegrated and sank in the Southport Broadwater on Saturday.

Two Gold Coast MPs, LNP MPs David Crisafulli and Sam O’Connor, called a meeting in October on the problems plaguing the waterways, including abandoned boats, dredging, variations of speed limits and dumping of waste.