Navigating the Gold Coast’s wild wild wet

GOLD Coast boaties, anglers, beachgoers and waterside residents are tearing their hair out over a tsunami of bureaucracy on the city’s waterways.

GOLD Coast boaties, anglers, beachgoers and waterside residents are tearing their hair out over a tsunami of bureaucracy on the city’s waterways.

According to the Gold Coast Waterways Authority, 11 agencies cover management of a long list of roles ranging from issuing licences through to boating, fishing, boating safety, beach management and environment for a water-loving community with more than 32,000 registered vessels.

At a meeting this week called by two Gold Coast MPs who want those 11 roles streamlined, about 100 residents told of problems plaguing the waterways, including abandoned boats, dredging, variations of speed limits and dumping of waste.

Local boties are tearing their hair out over the number of agenices they need to deal with on the waterway. Aerials Gold Coast Mainbeach,surfers Paradise sky Line .Picture Mike Batterham

Gold Coast businessman and boatie Stuart Bruce, who describes himself as a marine fanatic, said he was sick of marine issues being treated as a “hot potato”.

“When it comes to the management of the Broadwater and other waterways, I have never seen bigger monstrosity,’’ Mr Bruce said.

“The atrocity is the red tape. No single issue is controlled by any of the pass-the-buckers.

“From the State Government to the police to the council, whoever I contact about issues like speeding and unsightly live-aboards, it is like a hot potato.”

All vessels are required to dump effluent kilometres off shore or at designated pumping stations, but angry stakeholders have accused a number of “unseaworthy’’ houseboats of discharging effluent in the Broadwater.

Management of that lies with the Maritime Safety Authority, but according to marine experts it is virtually impossible to detect.

A loophole in anchorage laws also allows these boats to remain anchored legally, provided they move their vessels 5.5km every seven days on the Broadwater. This is monitored by the waterways authority.

A State Government taskforce this year identified 68 derelict vessels in southern Moreton Bay and Gold Coast waters, with an action to deal with 49 vessels.

Since July last year, 10 have been removed by the Gold Coast Waterways Authority.

Southport Yacht Club general manager Brett James said the waterways authority was a “toothless tiger”, and he would prefer to see State Government and not local powers expanded.

“We have members asking for more moorings and more adjustments of the seaway down past Sundale Bridge. Over time they are only going to get busier so we need to manage it better,’’ he said.

Brett James at Southport Yacht Club says he would like to see more power given to the State Government but rekon’s the agencies are working well together on the Broadwater. Photo by Richard Gosling

Gold Coast LNP MPs David Crisafulli and Sam O’Connor said they would call for a streamlined approach.

“I would like to see the waterways authority strengthened with a single point of accountability. If they succeed we could give them praise, if they fail we can take action,’’ Mr Crisafulli said.

“Unfortunately at the moment we are in no mans land, there is so many agencies with little bits of responsibility as a result there is no single point of accountability and people are frustrated to the back teeth.”

But Transport Minister Mark Bailey torpedoed the idea.

“I think it is utopian to think one group can address every single thing, when there are a range of needs and talents,’’ he said.

“People have to conform to laws and regulations, even those living on the water.

“But there isn’t a law against living in average-looking houses, low income boat owners shouldn’t be targeted just because of that.

“There is a lot of work being done in this space in terms of dredging and management.’’

Waterways authority CEO Hal Morris said the community was right to raise concerns about houseboat owners overstaying their welcome and other matters.

“The community pays taxes to live on shore so they are right to question the costs these vessels are incurring,’’ he said.

“We monitor 90-100 vessels every month to ensure they are not overstaying their welcome. However there are thousands in the area.

“We try our best to ensure the community is aware of the right agency to approach.”

Mayor Tom Tate did not support any move to extend the powers of the waterways authority.

“I have always viewed the key function for GCWA to be dredging our Broadwater,” Cr Tate said.

“That is the No 1 priority so I wouldn’t want to see any additional functions, such as marine safety, added to their charter.’’

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