Storing vessels on public foreshores

Our waterways, foreshores and adjoining parks are important natural assets. They enable valuable recreational and community use for all.

As the City's population increases so too does the use of our waterways. This is evident by the increasing number of vessels stored on our public foreshores. Queensland Government data indicates vessel ownership has increased by 23% over the last decade. Vessels include watercraft such as canoes, kayaks, small motorised and non-motorised boats.

Impacts to our foreshores

Storing vessels on public foreshores can cause the following:

• interference with vegetation and decreased dune stability
• damage or destruction of infrastructure by vessels chained to trees, stairs, signs, and retaining walls
• safety hazards to users of our parks and foreshores.

Storing vessels on a public foreshore

You must ensure that:

• vessel storage does not present a trip or safety hazard to users of the foreshore
• if it needs to be secured, you secure your vessel by sand anchor below the high tide line on the foreshore area.

You must not:

• store your vessel on a public foreshore for more than 24 hours
• store your vessel in vegetated dunes or parklands
• tie your vessel to trees, signposts, or other Council structures.

Storage of vessels in this manner can result in breaches of the City's local laws and penalties apply.

You can view examples of legal storage of vessels in the gallery below.

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Local laws

• Local Law No. 9 (Parks and Reserves) 2008(PDF, 442KB)
• Local Law No. 7 (Council Property) 2008(PDF, 629KB)

For details about permanent moorings, please visit the Gold Coast Waterways Authority home page.