Public Notices

DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION

Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for the Yarra River upstream of the port waters of the Port of Melbourne, makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Rowing Victoria, persons and vessels involved in the Melbourne Head 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 meters 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;

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

5. Clause 3.1 of Schedule 3 – 5 knot speed restriction on the Yarra River;

6. Clause 3.4(a) of Schedule 3 – Vessels proposing to berth at the boathouses must approach the berthing area from downstream and after passing through the southern arch of the Princes Bridge.

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from 2 to 6 in the above list when competing in the event. 

• Masters of rescue and official vessels are only exempt from 1 in the above list while 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 must adhere to speed and distance rules at all other times.

• Occupants of rescue and official vessels involved in the event must wear a personal floatation device at all times.

• 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 the Exemption Notice made under the Marine Regulations 1999 in respect of the exemption for rowing vessels to not carry or wear a personal flotation device.

• The exemptions apply from 4.30 am to 6.00 pm on Saturday 20 November 2021 within the exclusion zone waters on the Yarra River between the upstream edge of Princess Bridge and Herring Island provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to. 

Marine Safety Act 2010

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 Melbourne Head Regatta are prohibited from entering and remaining in the following waters.

Yarra River between the Monash Freeway Bridge to a straight line between the upstream edge of Federation Wharf to Mercantile Rowing Shed.

The exclusion zone will be in effect from 7:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday 20 November 2021.