Public Notices

Parks Victoria publishes public notices where relevant, including information regarding leases and boating and waterway activity exemptions.

Declaration of Boating Activity Exemptions

Event name:

Unfinished Business

Date/time of event:

12:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday 24th of October 2026

Location:

Local Port of Port Phillip - Williamstown

Details:

PUBLIC NOTICE

DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION

Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for the Local Port of Port Phillip, makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club, persons and vessels involved in the Unfinished Business Surfboat event are exempt from the following requirements:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988

1. Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel

2. Clause 4(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 200 metres of the water’s edge

Waterway Rules made under the Marine Safety Act 2010 / Marine Act 1988

3. Clause 1.5.7 of Schedule 1 – 5 knot speed restriction of Northwest Port Phillip

4. Clause 1.5.9(b) of Schedule 1 – areas prohibited to vessels at Williamstown

5. Clause 1.5.12(a) of Schedule 1 – The master of a personal watercraft for any purpose other than transiting in the safety most direct course to, or from the shore and/or a boat ramp or berthing facility (including a jetty, pier or mooring), whilst operating within designated 5 knot speed restriction zones

Marine Safety Regulations 2023

6. Regulation 61(4) – vessel master must not operate on enclosed waters unless vessel equipped with lifejacket for each person onboard

7. Regulation 66(2) – person must wear a lifejacket of type always specified when underway on enclosed waters

8. Regulation 70(1) – vessel master must not operate the vessel unless persons onboard when underway wear a lifejacket

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

· Masters of vessels providing rescue services must ensure they comply with the gazetted waterway rules and Marine Safety Act 2010 in respect to minimum speed and distance requirements, unless otherwise 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 on shore

· Masters of competition surfboat vessels are only exempt from items 1 to 4 when competing in the event, and item 1 applies only when within 50 metres of another competing vessel

· Masters of rescue and support vessels (including PWCs) are exempt from item 4 for the duration of the event

· Masters of PWC vessels are exempt from item 5 for the duration of the event

· Surf boat competitors are only exempt from items 6 to 8 for the duration of each event, provided the Surf Risk Rating (SRR) is of a value no greater than 15. If the SRR is 16 or higher, the exemptions will apply subject to the following conditions:

o Competitors must wear helmets

o There must be two IRBs operating to follow the surf boats the entire length of the course

o Each IRB must be equipped with rescue tubes

o There must be officials on the shore to monitor the event and communicate with the IRBs via radio

o LSV must carry out a SHR assessment for each event

· Operators and occupants of vessels propelled by paddle or oar are exempt from the carriage of specified safety equipment whilst within visual range of a staffed lifesaving facility or flagged area, as per the Exemptions for Life Saving Victoria vessels in Exemption Notice 1.

· Masters of mechanically powered LSV vessels up to and including 4.8 metres in length (other than personal watercraft) are exempt from the carriage of specified safety equipment whilst within visual range of a staffed lifesaving facility or flagged area, as per the Exemptions for Life Saving Victoria vessels in Exemption Notice 1.

· In the event of any injuries which result in hospitalisation, a fatality or an incident involving a person or vessel not involved in the event, these must be immediately reported to Victoria Police and Safe Transport Victoria (ST Vic). In the case of all other incidents ST Vic requires incident reports within seven (7) days and a finalised report within 30 days.

· The above exemptions apply from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday 24 October 2026 within the event waters adjacent to Williamstown Life Saving Club.

· The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to.

By order of Parks Victoria

Dated: 16 September 2026

By order of Parks Victoria
Dated: 16/09/26