Public Notices

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 the University of Melbourne, persons and vessels involved in the 2023 Australian Boat Race Rowing Regatta are exempt from the following requirements:

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 of the Yarra River

6.Regulation 61(6) – Master requirement to carry lifejacket on vessel on inland waters for eachperson onboard.

7.Regulation 66(3) – persons on vessels must wear a lifejacket (of type specified) at all timeswhen vessel is underway on inland waters.

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

•Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from items 2 to 7 when competing in theevent.

•Masters of rescue and official vessels must ensure they do not exceed the speed of racingvessels and are only exempt from items 1 to 5 when undertaking a rescue operation toretrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver themto a place of safety.

•Occupants of rescue and official vessels involved with the event must always wear alifejacket during the event and vessels must have all prescribed safety equipment.

•Rescue boats must carry additional lifejackets to support persons that may be required to berescued.

•University of Melbourne and Melbourne University Boat Club address the non-compliantissues raised in the University of Melbourne Inter-Collegiate Regatta Audit in the upcomingevent.

•The exemptions apply from 11:45am to 2:15pm on Saturday 14 October 2023 to vesselsparticipating in the 2023 Australian Boat Race Rowing Regatta only, within the exclusionzone waters – the Yarra River from a diagonal line between the downstream edge of theVRA Landing and the upstream edge of Federation Wharf to approximately 230 metresupstream of Power House Rowing Club Landing.

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

Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria as the declared waterway manager for the Yarra River upstream of the 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 University of Melbourne Australian Boat Race Rowing Regatta are prohibited from entering and remaining in the following waters. 

Waters of the Yarra River – from a diagonal line between the downstream edge of the VRA Landing and the upstream edge of Federation Wharf to approximately 230 metres upstream of Power House Rowing Club Landing.

 The exclusion zone will be in effect from 11:45am to 2:15pm on Saturday 14 October 2023. 

Parks Victoria

Dated: 25/09/2023