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Following extensive community consultation, as part of the next stage of the Noosa River Management Plan, Maritime Safety Queensland will introduce further restrictions on anchoring in the Noosa River for vessels over five metres in length.
From 31 May 2025, vessels over five metres will be prohibited from anchoring:
- Within 30 metres of the northern shore of the Noosa River (high water mark or nearest mangroves), from the Noosa Coastal Bar to Lake Cooroibah, including all of Goat Island
- Within 30 metres of the southern shore (high water mark or nearest mangroves), from Lake Doonella to Lake Cooroibah, including Makepeace and Sheep Islands.
The restrictions mark the start of Stage 5 of Maritime Safety Queensland’s Noosa River Management Plan, which is designed to improve safety for all river users and protect the river’s ecosystem.
The new restrictions complement measures that have already been successfully introduced since July 2024 for the southern shoreline, Woods Bay, Dog Beach and Little Woods Bay.
The existing trial, which allows vessels between 5m and 7.5m to anchor safely and responsibly near the shore for up to two hours per day, will also apply to the new Stage 5 areas — provided anchoring is done safely and with consideration for other river users.
Vessels under five metres in length, may continue to anchor in these areas, as long as they do so safely and without obstructing other river users.
Full details of the new restrictions are available on the Maritime Safety Queensland website.
To date, the anchoring restrictions have significantly de-cluttered the river’s shorelines – enhancing navigational safety, restoring access for recreational pursuits and improving visual amenity.
They have also helped ease concerns about marine pollution.
Looking ahead, Stage 6 of the plan is scheduled to be introduced on 1 October 2025. This stage will limit vessels over five metres to anchoring for no more than 28 days per financial year in the busiest lower section of the river, downstream of Lake Cooroibah.
This change is expected to reduce long-term stays, lower the risk of anchoring-related incidents and ensure a safer, more navigable river. More details and information on Stage 6 will be released closer to the date of implementation.
