Areas of Queensland, Australia’s Pumicestone Passage may be blocked to jet skis to stop “cowboys” on the hectic waterway according to an article in the Noosa News.
Mark McArdle, Member for Caloundra said he was examining the change and introducing rangers after hearing grievances about personal watercraft riders for twenty years.
The proposed changes may occur within the next 12-18 months. Three petitions with 1,000’s of signatures have been presented to the Parliament during the decades of complaints.
Edwards expects McArdle to make his plans clear for the proposed ban and before the election. He expects him to do something to intervene after another long weekend of noisy jet skis and drivers using Pumicestone Passage as a drag strip.
Edwards went on to say that the Ramser Convention, which was put into place to protect migrating birds and other animals, safeguarded the Passage. Edwards quote goes on to explain the reasoning behind the Ramser Convention.
Edwards also stated that the residents of the area were being discriminated against since jet skiing was banned in Noosa. The ban has increased the number of personal watercraft riders on the Passage, which has impeded recreational use of the Passage for passive recreational activities.
McArdle understands the worries of citizens and also believes that jet skiers have made a valuable contribution to the economy and that most of them followed the rules. The majority of them are not the problem and he would like to see a designated area for the personal watercraft enthusiasts.
