Maritime Safety Queensland has launched a three-month crackdown in the Pumicestone Passage, after patrols revealed a host of vessels were breaching marine safety laws.
The state’s waterways authority is targeting speeding, lifejacket laws, hooning and ‘distance off’ rules, with extra patrols until October.
Officers will be at the northern and southern ends of the passage, particularly during weekends when recreational boating activity peaks.
The increased presence comes after 40 per cent of vessels intercepted between July 2024 and May 2025 were found to be non-compliant with safety legislations.
LIDAR (light detection and ranging) – otherwise known as a speed gun – operations are also underway throughout the passage.
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MSQ stated there is a zero-tolerance approach to speeding, hooning and other anti-social behaviour on the water, including excess wash.
It is also auditing vessels moored in the passage for compliance with marine pollution and ‘live-aboard’ regulations, and to identify vessels in poor condition that may become derelict and require removal under the state government’s Keeping Our Waterways Safe Program.
“Boaties are reminded of the new rules relating to lifejackets, with on-the-spot fines starting at $333 now in place for non-compliance,” the department stated in a media release.
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The new laws mandate that lifejackets must be worn when boating alone (or only with children under 12 years) on an open boat that is less than 4.8m in length while underway; crossing a designated coastal bar on an open boat, and on an open area of a boat of any length; boating at night on an open boat that is less than 4.8m in length while underway; and if you are under 12 years in an open boat, or open area of a boat of any length while underway.
Wearing a lifejacket is compulsory when crossing a coastal bar on small sailing boats such as lasers and herons, pedal boats, rafts and inflatable rafts, rowboats (excluding Surf Life Saving Australia club surfboats) and sea and surf kayaks.
