DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION - 19 October 2019

Published on 08 October 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE
DECLARATION OF BOATING ACTIVITY EXEMPTION

The Loddon Shire Council as the declared waterway manager for the Loddon River (at Bridgewater between Flour Mill Weir and Sweeney’s Lane), makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by the Bendigo Canoe Club, persons and vessels involved in the Bendigo Canoe Cup 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 (b) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel;
3. 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
4. Clause 62.2 of Schedule 62 – 5 knot speed restriction on the Loddon River;
5. Clause 62.6 of Schedule 62 – Exclusive Use and Special Purpose Area (Slalom Area);
6. Clause 62.7 of Schedule 62 – Exclusive Use and Special Purpose Area (Ski Area).

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• masters of rescue vessels are only exempt from 1 to 4 in the above when 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 on shore
• all participants on vessels involved with the event must wear a personal flotation device at all times during the event and vessels must have all prescribed safety equipment, including rescue vessels
• these exemptions apply only to registered participants of the Bendigo Canoe Club event between the hours of 8am to 4pm on Saturday 19 October 2019 for the waters of the Loddon River between the Calder Highway Bridge and a buoy 900 metres upstream of the boat ramp at Sweeney’s Lane, provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the Event Application and associated documentation are adhered to.

BY ORDER OF LODDON SHIRE COUNCIL
Dated: 4 September 2019