Consultation summary report and action

Thank you to those who participated in Kingston's community consultation regarding personal water craft usage in our bay.

A summary of responses to the survey conducted can be found in the Document Library on this project page.

The feedback received showed a preference for improvements to the regulation and enforcement of personal water craft usage in our bay, and as such Council resolved to write to the relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies, forwarding the survey results and requesting this be considered.

In November 2022 Council wrote to the relevant ministers, seeking an increased education and awareness campaign, increased regulatory capacity and enforcement to enhance public safety and amenity and a further review of existing regulations and engagement associated with the use of personal water craft.

Council advocated for the following regarding personal water craft usage and regulation:

- Increased community education and awareness of personal water craft regulation, including but not limited to:

• improved regulatory signage (including increased sizing and plain-English wording)
• improved Licencing Requirements
• greater awareness of permitted personal water craft zones & swimming only zones

- Improved public safety and amenity by:

• better regulation within 1km of the shoreline (including launching from, and landing on, the beach)
• considering the impact to other users caused by noise pollution which impacts the quiet enjoyment of the foreshore
• increasing regulatory capacity and patrol frequency by responsible agencies including Maritime Safety Victoria, Parks Victoria and the Water Police Branch.

- A further review of existing regulations and engagement with the Association of Bayside Municipalities (ABM).

It is not the Council's position that personal water craft be banned from Port Phillip Bay, but we note with the significant number of informal and formal recreation water-based activities in heavily populated parts of our coastline, a much greater focus on the use of personal watercrafts is required.