New rules proposed for the Swan/Canning

Proposed riverpark changes released

           

Speed restrictions, changes to water ski operations and closing some areas to motorised vessels are features of a proposed new management plan for the Swan Canning Riverpark.


Releasing the plan for a three-month comment period today, Transport Minister Troy Buswell and Environment Minister Bill Marmion encouraged river users to provide feedback. Mr Buswell said Sharing the Rivers - Swan Canning Riverpark Aquatic Use Review and Management Framework Draft Report followed an 18-month consultation with user groups.

“Vessel activity has increased significantly since many of the existing management arrangements came into effect, with the number of registered private vessels in the metropolitan area growing from 36,000 to 53,000 in the last decade alone,” Mr Buswell said.

“This growth is expected to continue, placing further demands on the waterways. The new plan will help ensure future use does not jeopardise the health and amenity of the riverpark.”

Key changes proposed as part of the riverpark’s management plan include:
• 5-knot speed restriction area upstream of the Fremantle Rail Bridge, Mosman Bay, Freshwater Bay, Mt Pleasant, Matilda Bay, Maylands and inshore sections
• 30-knot maximum speed limit (sunrise to sunset) in areas not subject to a 5-knot limit
• realignment of the water ski areas at Belmont, Mt Pleasant and Point Walter
• prohibit personal water craft from operating or transiting on the Swan, upstream of Windan Bridge and on the Canning, upstream of Canning Bridge
• introduction of closed waters - motorised vessels at Preston Point, Freshwater Bay, upstream of Riverton Bridge and the southern passage between Ron Courtney and Garvey Park at Redcliffe

Environment Minister Bill Marmion said the new plan and improved management framework promoted the safe, equitable and sustainable use of the riverpark into the future.

“Feedback received in relation to the Sharing the Rivers plan will be considered ahead of the introduction of the proposed changes for the 2012-13 boating season,” Mr Marmion said.

“The riverpark is a highly valued community asset and is enjoyed in many different ways including boating, swimming, paddling and fishing. The implementation of a comprehensive management plan which has been developed in partnership with the community is vital in ensuring the future of this wonderful asset.” 
 

Posts: 877

Date Joined: 03/05/11

5 knots its slow enough as it

Thu, 2011-12-01 15:36

5 knots its slow enough as it is. I have a mate who has to launch at Pt Walter because his boat is too big for East Fremantle Boat Ramp and it takes him 30min to get to the heads as it is.

Anyway, for bigger boats i have found that the slower they go the bigger the wake.

30 knots in non-speed restricted areas is a bit stiff, and how can they keep a track on it anyway?

JUST MY OPINION!!!

Posts: 459

Date Joined: 20/01/11

Yeh I have fished land based

Thu, 2011-12-01 15:45

Yeh I have fished land based all along the maylands 5 knot stretch and some big heavy boats create insane wakes that smash into the shoreline while only going around 5 knots compared to newer boats flying through at speed only creating a small ripple. The bank does need wake protection but in some cases speed is not the only factor.

 

Interesting to see exactly where and how large the closed zones are at Freshwater bay and preston

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

anything that has Bill Marmion's finger prints.....

Thu, 2011-12-01 22:59

Anything that haa Bill Marmion's fingrer prints on it is bound to be a stuff up

Tony Halliday's picture

Posts: 2500

Date Joined: 14/06/07

 big difference in wake

Fri, 2011-12-02 09:46

 big difference in wake between displacement hulls and plaining hulls when it comes to wakes.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~

 It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it

"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)

Posts: 459

Date Joined: 20/01/11

Having never owned a boat I

Fri, 2011-12-02 09:56

Having never owned a boat I don't know much about the types of hulls, but I assume the displacement hulls are the ones that cause the most damage to the riverbank. Maybe they should be restricted from areas, not the speed so much.

 

Tony Halliday's picture

Posts: 2500

Date Joined: 14/06/07

 thats why I gave up my pen

Fri, 2011-12-02 09:44

 thats why I gave up my pen at Ascot,

it was taking me nearly an hour to get from there to the Fremantle exit of the Swan.

Many areas are just a dam crawl with the open areas too short to make up any time.

 

The river will become a canoe, paddle boats & sail boats playground soon!!! 

 

They will soon squeeze all power boats off the river at this rate.

____________________________________________________________________________

Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~

 It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it

"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)

Posts: 877

Date Joined: 03/05/11

+1

Fri, 2011-12-02 12:12

+1

chookc's picture

Posts: 442

Date Joined: 07/01/10

What they need to

Fri, 2011-12-02 23:23

really regulate is all the bloody yatchs racing accross the main passage at RPYC and Pt walter.  Last sunday Was just ridiculous with the yatchies having finish lines in the main chanel near pt walter and all the trafic converging from freo end trying to get around pt walter,...

 

I sure as hell know that when I was race director of the PWC racing if we did anything like that they would have shut us down befored the race stared.. 

Posts: 877

Date Joined: 03/05/11

yeh and today and tomorow

Sat, 2011-12-03 15:50

yeh and today and tomorow they have the international yacht race with over 80 countries participating

Its going to be a nightmare

The gap to go across to Freo from RPYC is only so big and power boats have to give way to sail. If you give way to one yacht you cut the other off and it can become dangerous.