Background

Council can determine areas where vessels are launched and retrieved but the power to restrict vessels, including personal watercraft, from an area of water is the remit of Marine Safety SA – Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT).

To create the proposed motorised vessel exclusion zone DIT requires council to develop a submission outlining identified issues and concerns for a proposed regulation amendment to be made.

Council must undertake consultation to ensure the needs of all the community can be considered as part of the proposal to implement an exclusion zone. This includes the need to identify and consult with all water users who would be impacted.

At its meeting on 19 March 2024 Council resolved that the Aldinga Marine Park and the body of water between the Aldinga Marine Park and the Aldinga Beach foreshore be recommended to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport – Marine Services (DIT) for the restriction of vessels and a consultation plan is developed that engages both land and water based stakeholders, as well as the local community (consistent with DIT requirements), that is brought to a future Council meeting for endorsement.

DIT provided feedback on the proposed exclusion zone and advised that the reef area is rocky and very low in powered vessel traffic. From a navigational safety perspective, the risk of vessel collision with swimmers is low and they did not have any reported data of incidents or near misses here.

At a further council meeting on 12 November 2024 Council approved to consult on options for a proposed motorised vessel exclusion zone at Aldinga and/or Sellicks Beach as set out in this engagement.