What’s Happening?
Queensland personal watercraft riders are being urged to slow down after a major spring boating campaign uncovered widespread speeding, lifejacket breaches and unsafe riding.
Maritime Safety Queensland conducted the campaign between 19 September and 5 October 2026, targeting high-risk waterways across the state. Officers checked recreational vessels and personal watercraft to identify safety breaches, with riders recording particularly low compliance compared with other boat operators.
The findings have prompted renewed warnings about responsible behaviour on shared waterways, including those used by recreational boaters across the Redlands Coast.
Why It Matters
Unsafe personal watercraft behaviour can put others at risk, particularly where jet skis, recreational boats and other users share the same waterways. Speeding, unsafe manoeuvres and failing to maintain appropriate distances were among the concerns identified during the campaign.
Maritime Safety Queensland General Manager Kell Dillon said all operators needed to follow safety requirements and consider others using the water.
“Queensland’s waterways are for everyone, but every skipper and personal watercraft rider must operate safely and responsibly,” Mr Dillon said.
The campaign also highlighted lifejacket compliance, reinforcing the importance of wearing appropriate safety equipment while boating.
Local Impact
For Redland City residents who enjoy boating around Moreton Bay and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, the statewide findings reinforce the importance of safe and responsible operation.
Although Maritime Safety Queensland conducted targeted inspections across several regions, the release did not identify specific operations or compliance results for Redland City. The findings therefore reflect broader Queensland trends rather than confirmed breaches on local waterways.
Nevertheless, the warning remains relevant to recreational boaters and personal watercraft riders across the Redlands Coast, where different types of vessels share coastal waters.
By The Numbers
- 1,160 intercepts: Record number of vessel and personal watercraft checks completed across Queensland.
- 34 per cent: Compliance rate recorded among personal watercraft operators statewide.
- 289 enforcement actions: Total formal actions taken during the campaign, comprising infringement notices and cautions.
Zoom In
Maritime Safety Queensland used targeted patrols to identify unsafe behaviour, drawing on community reports, compliance records and surveillance information to determine where enforcement was needed.
The campaign included a joint operation with Gold Coast Water Police on the Nerang River. Officers focused on speeding, unsafe manoeuvres, freestyling and breaches of required distances from other waterway users.
Dillon explained how the agency identified locations where patrols could address the greatest safety concerns.
“We use community reports, compliance data, targeted drone surveillance and local intelligence to focus patrols where unsafe behaviour poses the greatest risk.”
The approach allowed officers to concentrate enforcement efforts on waterways where reported incidents and compliance information indicated a higher risk of unsafe behaviour.
Zoom Out
The operation was Maritime Safety Queensland’s largest spring boating safety campaign, covering multiple regions over two weeks. While personal watercraft riders recorded particularly low compliance, other vessel operators achieved a statewide compliance rate above 50 per cent.
Officers issued 129 infringement notices and 160 cautions during the campaign, reflecting the range of safety issues identified across Queensland. The results also highlighted the need for greater awareness of speed limits, lifejacket requirements and safe operating distances.
Dillon urged riders to take responsibility for their behaviour and respect others sharing the waterways.
“The message is simple: cool your jets. Slow down, wear the right lifejacket and give others space to enjoy the water safely.”
What To Look For Next?
Maritime Safety Queensland has reinforced its warning that speeding, reckless riding and unsafe manoeuvres can attract enforcement action. The agency has made clear that riders who disregard safety requirements should expect officers and police to respond.
“If you speed, freestyle around other waterway users or ride recklessly, expect to see Maritime Safety Queensland and police on the water.”
