The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has taken action on four houseboats on a popular river in a tourist town.
At least four and up to six houseboats were anchored in shallow water in Woods Bay, Noosa River, over the Christmas-new year period, with long hoses running to taps in the adjacent park.
Noosa Heads resident Joanne Daley said the houseboats were a hindrance to others wanting to get to and from shore, and the hoses were a hazard for people walking along the shoreline.
Ms Daley said various other watercraft, including a jet ski, Hobie Cat, pontoon boat and a barge, were moored with the houseboats, effectively creating a no-go zone for others.
A social media post by Ms Daley about the boats drew about 200 comments.
“What upsets people in Noosa is not being able to get to use the shore. So many comments are from people who want to be to go to the shore and not be confronted by hoses and boats,” she said.
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Ms Daley was a member of the Noosa River Stakeholders Advisory Committee, which worked with Maritime Safety Queensland to compose a six-stage reform process for Noosa River boating to improve access, safety and environmental outcomes.
Under stage four of the reforms, which were to be introduced in July 2024, boats over 5m were not to anchor within 60m of the shoreline between Lake Doonella and Garth Prowd Bridge; across Noosa Sound and up to Woods Bay; or at the dog beach area, south of the river entrance.
A relaxation as of October allowed vessels 5-7.5m to anchor for up to two hours along the southern shoreline of the river.
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The line-up of houseboats, which appeared to be being used for holiday letting, mystified a number of locals who understood there was no longer meant to be anchoring in that section of the river.
But after the holiday period the authorities, starting with Noosa Council, began to take action.
The council’s director, development and regulation, Richard MacGillivray, said the council had responded to a number of complaints about vessels tying up to trees along the river above the highwater mark.
“Council advised a number of houseboat occupants not to tie up their vessels to council infrastructure or vegetation and restrict public access along the foreshore,” Mr MacGillivray said.
“Council also advised owners of a number of smaller vessels parked on the foreshore to anchor them below the low-tide mark.”
The council is also investigating concerns regarding access to public water supplies and restricted access to parks.
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The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is responsible for certification of commercial vessels, confirmed it was aware of a number of houseboats used for Airbnb-style short-term accommodation on the Noosa River.
“AMSA and Maritime Safety Queensland conducted an on-water joint agency patrol on Friday, January 3,” an AMSA spokesperson said.
“During the patrol AMSA observed non-compliance with four houseboats and has taken regulatory actions against the owner/s.”
A Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman said it was currently implementing stage four of the reforms.
“MSQ decided to further divide the stage four restriction into three phases to avoid moving anchored vessels en masse, which would create safety issues,” the spokesman said.
“The subsequent phases of stage four will be implemented in early 2025 with updates to the community and direct engagement with those planned for the near future.”
Richard Wilschke, who has run a business called Gondolas of Noosa on the river for more than 20 years, said it was about time something was done about the “houseboat Airbnbs” that competed with legitimate houseboat operators and posed hygiene and sanitation questions.
“I just don’t understand why it’s been allowed to continue like that,” he said.
“If we all went and put up a glamping tent in the Woods and advertising as Airbnb they wouldn’t allow it, but it’s allowed on the water?”
Online listings for Liquid Spirit houseboat rentals describe it as “anchored in a location like no other on earth”, pointing guests to 10 Claude Batten Drive to park and into the Woods park to board.
Sunshine Coast News contacted Liquid Spirit property manager David Arnold and provided some questions for his consideration but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Noosa Parks Association president Michael Gloster said MSQ had “given an undertaking of how they will manage mooring in Noosa River and the lake system”, adding “don’t be surprised if the new Sunshine Coast Waterway Authority obliterates them” if they did not respect the agreed reforms.
