Public Notices
Parks Victoria publishes public notices where relevant, including information regarding leases and boating and waterway activity exemptions.
Exclusion Zone Notice and Declaration of Boating Activity Exemptions
Event name:
Head of the Yarra
Date/time of event:
8:00am to 2:45pm on Saturday 22 November 2025
Location:
Yarra River, between Princes Bridge and Hawthorn Bridge
Details:
PUBLIC NOTICE
DECLARATION
OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION
Parks Victoria as the
declared waterway manager for Yarra River makes the following declaration under
section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).
For the purposes of boating
activity conducted by Hawthorn Rowing Club, persons and vessels involved in the
Head of the Yarra are exempt from the following requirements:
State
Rules made under the Marine Act 1988
1.
Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50
metres of a person in the water
2.
Clause 2 (c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50
metres of another vessel
3.
Clause 3(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50
metres of the water’s edge
4.
Clause 3 (b) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50
metres of a fixed or floating structure
5.
Clause 3.1 of Schedule 3 – 5 knot
speed restriction on waters on the Yarra River
6.
Claude 3.4 (a) of Schedule 3 – vessels berthing at
the boathouses upstream of the Princess Bridge must approach from the berthing
area from downstream and after passing through the southern arch of the Princes
Bridge
Subject to the conditions detailed below:
· Masters
of rescue and official vessels are exempt from 1 to 5 when undertaking a rescue
operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or
other needs and deliver them to a place of safety and item 6 for the duration
of the event and must adhere to speed and distance rules at all other times.
· Competitors
are only exempt from items 2 to 6 when competing in the events.
· Occupants
of rescue and official vessels involved in the event must wear a lifejacket at
all times.
· Rescue
boats must carry additional lifejackets to support persons that may be required
to be rescued.
· The
event is operating under the auspices of Rowing Victoria, including the Rowing
Victoria Safety Management Plan, which meets the criteria of Clause 3 of
Exemption Notice 1 made under the Marine Regulations 1999 in respect of the
exemption for rowing vessels to not carry or wear a lifejacket.
· Interstate
and international crews are included in the above exemption provided that they
are thoroughly briefed on the course (including all hazards), the Yarra River
Rules relating to rowing vessels and the State Waterway Rules.
· The
exemptions apply from 8:00am to 2:45pm on Saturday 22 November 2025 within the
exclusion zone waters between the Princes Bridge and Hawthorn Bridge.
· The
exemptions apply provided the states safety controls and undertakings detailed
in the application form and associated documentation to adhere to.
Section 208(2)
NOTICE OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXCLUSION ZONE
Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for
Yarra River upstream of port waters of the Port of Melbourne hereby gives
notice under section 208(2) of the Marine
Safety Act 2010 (Vic) that all persons and vessels not registered to take
part in the 2025 Head of the Yarra are prohibited from entering and remaining
in the following waters.
Waters of the Yarra River – Between a straight line
across from the upstream edge of the VRA landing to Birrarung Marr, and the
upstream edge of Hawthorn
Bridge, Bridge Rd.
The exclusion zone will be in effect from 6:30am to
4:00pm on Saturday 22 November 2025.
By order of Parks Victoria
Dated: 17/11/25