Rodney Stevens
With more than 80km of pristine coastline and the mighty Clarence River stretching hundreds of kilometres from the ocean to the mountains, the Clarence Valley is a playground for water sports and a target for NSW Maritime.
This summer NSW Maritime has been out in force across the region and the state, continuing to play a critical role in promoting safe and responsible use of NSW waterways.
A NSW Maritime spokesperson said Boating Safety Officers carry out regular enforcement activities, as well as targeted education and compliance campaigns on weekends with high activity, such as the state-wide Operation Ride Smart on January 7-8, which focused on jet ski compliance.
“Know Your Limits on January 21-22, which saw the Clarence Valley area as the top formal action offence location in NSW (32 formal actions),” the spokesperson said.
“In the Clarence Valley region since 1 December 2022, NSW Maritime has conducted around 270 vessel checks resulting in 206 official cautions and 16 fines.”
The spokesperson said some vessel checks resulted in multiple fines or official cautions.
“More than 66 per cent of vessels inspected complied with Maritime Regulations and Legislation,” the spokesperson said.
“The top offence was people not carrying or wearing lifejackets (34 per-cent) followed by non-compliance with unregistered vessels (27 per-cent).
The top offence locations in Clarence Valley were Clarence River Entrance and Iluka Bay (22per-cent), Sandon River (17 per-cent) and Wooli River (16 per-cent).
“Wooli and Sandon Rivers have been a focal point for compliance checks due to high numbers of users in areas with complex channels,” the spokesperson said.
“Boating Safety Officers have been focusing on educating boaters about knowing their limits, especially in relation to towing activities which are prevalent on the Clarence River around Seelands.”
Maritime NSW Principal Manager North Sonia McKay said boaters are reminded when towing, it is important to maintain a proper lookout, know the space required to make a turn, and be aware of others using the waterway and hazards such as submerged objects and trees.
“NSW Maritime Officers also continue to educate boaters about alcohol, speed, passenger capacity, boat design and capabilities, and consideration of the experience of masters,” she said.
“All waterway users are reminded of the importance of wearing a lifejacket.
“It is vital that all waterway users service inflatable lifejackets.
“Boaters are reminded it is illegal to carry an inflatable lifejacket that is not serviced, as it may not work if they end up in the water.”