Council proposes Pumicestone Passage jet ski ban
Fri 07 April 2006
Nicole O'Halloran, Journalism
Precious Pumicestone Passage wildlife is being disturbed by jet skis and Caloundra City Council is taking steps to ban the watercraft in the area.
Pumicestone Passage Marine Park is just over 35km long and internationally known for its extensive mangroves, dugong and dolphins. The wetland is also a critical habitat for over 350 species of birds.
Caloundra City Council Mayor Don Aldous said council thought it was appropriate for the whole of Pumicestone Passage to become a jet ski free area rather than have a series of exclusion zones, to properly protect the environment from jet ski damage.
Maritime Safety Queensland has released a draft plan titled Guidelines for the Development of Marine Zone Proposals. The guidelines state what rules the council must follow in order to propose exclusion zones. New legislation written in Part A of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Legislation 2005 allows Maritime Safety Queensland to create marine zones proposed by local government.
Division 10 Caloundra City Councillor Greg Singh said the draft was in its final version and would be presented to State Parliament in eight weeks time for possible adoption.
“If the draft is adopted by parliament the council will then go through a series of processes to propose exclusion zones for Pumicestone Passage,” Cr Singh said.
Residents in the Caloundra area have been raising the issue of jet ski use in Pumicestone Passage for 10 years, Cr Singh said.
Pumicestone Passage is a protected wetland under the RAMSAR agreement. The RAMSAR Convention is an international treaty designed to preserve feeding banks of migratory bird species.
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Honorary Secretary, Jill Chamberlain, said the Pumicestone Passage was the most important site for migrating terns, and jet skis were coming too close to the sand banks were they roost and breed.
“The passage is home to 40,000 to 50,000 terns and jet skis are disturbing their habitat,” Ms Chamberlain said.
“These shorebirds take flight when frightened and this causes them to use up critical energy they need for migrating and breeding.”
Avid birdwatcher Jill Denning completed a three year study on the birds between 2000 and 2003 and has been actively observing the Caloundra sand bank since 1988.
Ms Denning said there were peak periods for the jet skis and this was over the Easter and summer holidays.
“Jet skis are pests and they are disturbing the birds during April which is a critical time as they migrate during that month and need energy on their flight,” Ms Denning said.
Cr Singh said the Caloundra City Council would put together a study of Pumicestone Passage to help with the exclusion zones proposal.
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