Capping boating ‘not on’
WATERWAYS bosses and politicians have shot down any suggestion the number of boats in the Broadwater should be capped.
Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) CEO Hal Morris confirmed the idea of limiting vessels in the city’s busiest waterway had been raised, but said the governing body wanted to improve access, not restrict it.
“There have been people who are calling for restricted hours but we are finding ways to increase the usage of our waterways,” he said.
“We are looking at all options and while this idea has been proposed, it is certainly not something which is under active consideration.”
Mr Morris called the city’s waterways “the undiscovered jewel of the Gold Coast”.
The Gold Coast Waterways Authority is conducting a study into how the Broadwater is being used.
The Bulletin has been told the idea to restrict the number of vessels in the Broadwater was raised at a recent community feedback session on The Spit Masterplan.
It was thought a cap would reduce congestion.
The number of vessels registered on the Gold Coast has increased by about 5000 since 2013 to nearly 32,000.
The heavy use of the Broadwater and Nerang River has become a growing issue in recent years.
Police have cracked down on tinny hoons, with operations launched targeting local boat users speeding up and down the waterways.
Broadwater MP David Crisafulli said the idea should be “kicked into touch”.
“It would be outrageous to tell someone who has worked and saved to buy a boat that they can only use it at certain government-approved times,” he said.
“Any suggestion that access should be restricted should be met with a big ‘no way’ from the community.
“It would be like saying to someone they cannot drive on the M1 at certain times because there are too many cars.”
Mr Crisafulli said he would fight any such proposal.
“It would destroy people’s way of life and would be the ultimate over-reaction,” he said.