Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022

betterboating.vic.gov.au

Victorian

Recreational Boating

Strategy Action Plan

2022–2023

Better Boating Victoria

Contents

Overview 1

2021–22 boating revenue 2

Boating priorities for 2022–23 4

01: Management and maintenance of boating facilities 8

02: Enhanced facilities 9

03: More boating destinations 12

04: Improved access and navigation 13

05: Safer waterways 15

06: Boating promotion 17

07: Improved data 18

08: Public reporting 19

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

Overview

The Victorian Government has established the Better Boating Fund.

The amount going into the Better Boating Fund will be the equivalent

of all revenue generated from marine licences and vessel registration.

The recreational boating system is funded through the revenue collected from marine licences and

vessel registration. Throughout 2021–22, the Victorian Government collected $32,865,742 in revenue

from recreational vessel registration as well as marine licences. This revenue supports recreational

boating by funding planning and upgrades, boating safety and education, compliance and

enforcement and marine search and rescue.

Better Boating Victoria

2021–22

boating revenue

Throughout 2021–2022, the Victorian Government collected $32,865,742

in revenue from vessel registration as well as marine licences. This

was collected from the registration of 222,012 vessels as well as issuing

106,269 marine licences.

The Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy (2021–2030) identiﬁes opportunities to improve the

boating experience across Victoria and to deliver the following vision:

Victorian boaters will be provided with a better boating experience through the provision of

boating facilities that perform to a high standard, have adequate capacity, are well maintained,

are safe and provide improved accessibility for all.

The Strategy will be delivered through a series of annual action plans. This is the second action

plan that has been prepared since the inception of the Better Boating Fund in 2021.

$32.8m

Throughout 2021–22, the Victorian

Government collected $32,865,742 in revenue

from recreational vessel registration and

marine licences

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

License and registration revenue 2021–22

Licensing: $17,911,638

Registration: $14,954,104

Total: $32,865,742

222,012 106,269

Number of

vessels registered

in Victoria in 2021–22

Number of marine

licences issued

in Victoria in 2021–22

Better Boating Victoria

Boating priorities

for 2022–23

This is the second action plan which has been developed to support the

delivery of the Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy. Key priorities for

the allocation of funding will include:

Progressing the development and

subsequent construction of boat

ramp upgrades

Improving maintenance of facilities

and supporting asset managers of

public facilities

Improving access on water through

dredging and also by improving

all-abilities access

Continued support for boating safety

and marine search and rescue services

Priorities for funding have been identiﬁed in

the Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy.

Those projects and programs identiﬁed for

funding in this Action Plan have been prioritised

based on boating demand, project readiness,

boating safety needs and equity of distribution

of funds across regional Victoria as well as

Port Phillip and Western Port.

Funding allocation for 2022–23 has been distributed across the following areas:

Enhanced facilities: 43%

Safer waterways: 34%

Management and maintenance of

boating facilities: 12%

Improved access and navigation: 7%

More boating destinations: 3%

Boating promotion: 1%

Improved data and other reforms: <1%

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

Wimmera & Mallee

North Central

Port Phillip &

Western Port

South West

Better Boating Victoria

Goulburn Broken

North East

East Gippsland

South & Central Gippsland

Port Phillip &

Western Port

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

Legend

Planning and design

Capital construction

Destination jetties

All abilities access

No. Action Action description

1.1 Removal of fees at public

boat ramps

Provide funding for removal of fees at public

boat ramps that previously charged launching

and parking fees

1.2 Recreational Boating Structural

Maintenance Program

Provide funding for the Recreational Boating

Structural Maintenance program to support

asset managers at public boat ramps with

maintenance of their facilities

1.3 Asset Manager Forums Establish quarterly asset manager forums

to facilitate and support asset managers to

maintain boating facilities across Victoria

1.0

Management and maintenance

of boating facilities

To enhance the Victorian boating experience by supporting

and improving the maintenance of our public facilities

Removal of fees at

public boat ramps

Recreational

Boating Structural

Maintenance Program

Asset

Manager Forums

Better Boating Victoria

2.0

Enhanced facilities

Prepare designs

to inform future

upgrades

Renewing existing

facilities and building

new ones

Progress staged

construction

To enhance the Victorian boating experience by continuing to invest

in renewing and building new boating facilities

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

Progressing delivery of boating projects

1. Stakeholder

consultation

2. Panning

and design

3. Approval

and permits

18 months 24 months

4. Construction 5. Monitoring and

review of project

Better Boating Victoria has established a delivery model whereby the feedback of boaters is central

to the upgrades of boating facilitates. This consultation occurs at the commencement of the design

process and continues until construction has been completed.

The time to upgrade a facility can take a couple of years to complete, pending approvals.

The approval requirements for projects can include local ports and waterway manager

requirements (e.g. Works Permit), Marine and Coastal Act Consents and all necessary background

studies and Cultural Heritage Management Plans.

No. Action Action description

2.1 Planning and design upgrades/

new facilities across Port Phillip

and Western Port

(Port Phillip and Western Port)

Provide funding for planning and design for

new ramps and future upgrades of boating

facilities at:

• French Island – Tankerton

• Anthony’s Nose (Dromana)

• Rye – wave protection

• Newhaven

• Stony Point

• Corinella

• Melton Reservoir

2.2 Planning and design upgrades

across the South West

(South West)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Lake Tooliorook jetties replacement

• Port Fairy

2.3 Planning and design upgrades

across South and Central Gippsland

(South and Central Gippsland)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Blue Rock Lake

• Lake Glenmaggie

2.4 Planning and design upgrades

across East Gippsland

(East Gippsland)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Lakes Entrance North Arm Apex car park

2.5 Planning and design upgrades

across the North Central

(North Central)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Lake Boga

• Tullaroop Reservoir

• Murray River – Gunbower

2.6 Planning and design upgrades

across the Goulburn Broken

(Goulburn Broken)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Seymour – Goulburn River

• Shepparton – Goulburn River

• Howqua Inlet

2.7 Planning and design upgrades

across the North East

(North East)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Lake Hume

Better Boating Victoria

No. Action Action description

2.8 Planning and design upgrades

across the Wimmera and Mallee

(Wimmera and Mallee)

Provide funding for planning and design for

future upgrades of boating facilities at:

• Murray River – Mildura Karadoc

• Murray River – Mildura - Red Cliffs

2.9 Commence construction at facilities

across Victoria

Provide funding to progress construction of

boating facility upgrades at:

• Limeburners car park

• Cowes

• Kirk Point

• Clifton Springs car park

• Lake Burrumbeet

• Avalon

• Mahers Landing

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

No. Action Action description

3.1 Destination Jetties Provide funding for upgrades of

boating facilities at:

• Gabo Island Jetty – Planning and design

• Raymond Island – Additional berths

• Lakes Entrance – Additional berths –

Cunninghame Arm

3.0

More boating destinations

To enhance the Victorian boating experience by continuing to

invest in destination locations

Destination jetties

Better Boating Victoria

4.0

Improved access and navigation

All abilities access Dredging grants

and programs

Waterway

management

Scoping

investigations

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

No. Action Action description

4.1 Port Phillip and Western Port

Dredging Program

Progress options for a coordinated

maintenance dredging program at key boating

facilities across Port Phillip and Western Port

4.2 Recreational Boating Access

and Dredging Program

Provide dredging grants to support asset

managers who require dredging at boat ramps

4.3 All abilities access Develop detailed designs to facilitate all

abilities access at:

• Victoria Park Echuca

• Blue Rock Lake

To enhance the Victorian boating experience by providing for

improved access and navigation

Better Boating Victoria

No. Action Action description

4.4 Funding support for

waterway managers

Provide funding grants to waterway managers

to support the development of waterway

rules, safety signage and installation and

maintenance of aids to navigation:

• Barwon Port

• Barwon River

• Bridgewater lakes

• Curdies River

• Gippsland

• Goulburn River and Lake Nagambie

• Green Lake

• Lake Eildon

• Lake Lascelles

• Lake Merran

• Lake Watchem

• Lake Wendouree

• Port Philip and Western Port

• Tchum Lake

• Waranga Basin

• Yarra River

5.0

Safer waterways

No. Action Action description

5.1 Emergency Management

Victoria: Marine Search

and Rescue (MSaR) Funds

Provide funding to Emergency Management

Victoria to support Marine Search and Rescue

teams by funding recruitment, training,

equipment, utilities, fuel, and maintenance.

5.2 Emergency Management Victoria

Safety initiatives

Fund Emergency Management Victoria

to support Marine Search and Rescue

training initiatives.

5.3 Safe Transport Victoria:

Boating safety

Fund Safe Transport Victoria for the regulation

and administration of recreational marine

activities including high risk vessel inspections,

recreational vessel compliance, boating

safety education, waterway management,

approval of waterway rules and boating

activity. The funding will also provide for the

administration of recreational marine licencing

and vessel registration.

5.4 Installation of additional Boating

Vic cameras at boat ramps

across Victoria

Installation of new Boating Vic cameras at:

• Waranga Basin

• Warneet

• Manns Beach

• Shaving Point (Metung)

To improve waterway & boating safety by investing in marine

search and rescue and boating safety and education

Marine Search

and Rescue

Boating Vic

Cameras

Marine Radio

Victoria

Personal watercraft

training program

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

No. Action Action description

5.5 Providing continued funding to

support the Marine Radio Victoria

emergency response network

Ongoing funding of the Marine Radio Victoria

emergency response network across Victoria

to respond to emergency distress calls.

Planning will also be undertaken to prepare for

the future Marine Radio Victoria contract.

5.6 Installation of electronic variable

messaging signs to promote

boating safety

Installation of a variable message sign

at Patterson River to feature boating

safety messaging.

5.7 Delivery of a Personal Watercraft

(PWC) education campaign to

promote safer riding

Develop and launch a campaign and PWC

rider clinics to improve PWC operator

behaviour and associated safety, particularly

across Port Phillip.

Better Boating Victoria

6.0

Boating promotion

No. Action Action description

6.1 Delivery of boating promotion

initiatives to promote the boating

experience across Victoria

Delivery of a boating promotion program

that highlights the boating experience across

regional Victoria

6.2 Delivery of new cruising/boating

trails to promote boating in

regional Victoria

Plan, deliver and promote new boating trails in

regional Victoria which will include:

• Lake Eildon

• Gippsland Lakes

6.3 Delivery of boat trailer

reversing clinics

Delivery of boat trailer reversing clinics to

improve the boating experience

6.4 Delivery of options to improved

marine skills training to support

the boating sector

Delivery of a feasibility assessment into

improved coordination of skills training for

marine boat builders, trimmers and mechanics

to address the current skills shortage

across Victoria

To enhance the Victorian boating experience by promoting

boating across Victoria

Boating promotion

campaign

Boating trails Trailer

reversing clinic

Improved

marine training

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

7.0

Improved data

No. Action Action description

7.1 Improved data sharing Delivery of a feasibility assessment into

options to improve data sharing for on water

compliance agencies

Improved

data sharing

Better Boating Victoria

8.0

Public reporting

Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy Action Plan 2022–23

In accordance with the Marine Safety Act, there are public reporting

requirements that provide for accountability in relation to the Better Boating

Fund. The Department of Transport will publish a report by 1 October each

year on the following:

a. Revenue generated in marine licence and vessel registration fees

b. Amount of money that was deposited into the Better Boating Fund

c. Amount of money that was paid from the fund in the preceding ﬁnancial year

d. High level description of the projects and programs that have been funded

e. Inclusion of the previous comparative year for revenue, amount of money into the fund

and amount that was spent.

A public report will be produced

by 1st October 2023 to address the

requirements identiﬁed above.

betterboating.vic.gov.au