Boating Activity Exemption - When the rules don't apply

The Lunar New Year Regatta is conducted at Victoria Harbour which can at times be a busy waterway.

Accordingly, we have set applied for and been granted an exemption from certain requirements when competing in the events. Here are the highlights of the exemptions:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988
1. Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of of a person in the water
2. Clause 2(b) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel
3. Clause 3(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of the water’s edge
4. 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
5. Clause 3.1 of Schedule 3 – 5 knot speed restriction on waters of the Yarra River

There are limits and conditions that go with these exemptions and the regatta will be operated in accordance with those conditions.

The rules for the safety vessels are limited to when they are operating as safety vessels as follows:

Masters of rescue vessels are exempt from items 1 to 5 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 and must adhere to speed and distance rules at all other times.

These are the key highlights we would like all sweeps and our on-water workforce team to be across (Volunteers, Officials and Staff) but we also encourage you to review all the details. The more people deeply across the safety specifics of the event the safer we all are. 

Boating Activity Exemption
SMEMP Schedule
Regatta Safety and Event Management Plan V5

Further details will be added to the SMEMP - we'll advise on the Regatta WhatApp when that happens