Restricted Water Ski areas in Queensland

Some waterways in the Queensland have restrictions. Before you go out, plan where you want to go and check the restrictions for Water Skiing.

Gold Coast

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Coomera River Coomera River (south arm) Transport Infrastructure (Waterways Management) Reg 2012
Nerang River The Nerang River, and adjoining waters, upstream of the Nerang River Gold Coast Bridge linking Southport to Main Beach, other than:
  • between Bosun Parade, Ashmore and Ross Street, Carrara
  • between Ross Street, Carrara and Hoy Street, Broadbeach Waters between 7am and 7pm
between Capri Bridge and Bundall Road Bridge, Sorrento between 8am and 4pm.
Transport Infrastructure (Waterways Management) Reg 2012
Tallebudgera Creek Tallebudgera Creek other than between 7am and 7pm between:
  • the boat ramp at Awonga Avenue, Burleigh Heads
  • Mallawa Drive, Palm Beach
Transport Infrastructure (Waterways Management) Reg 2012

A person must not operate a ship in the waters listed below in a way that could be described as freestyling, whether engaged in towing a device or otherwise, so that the ship’s course or speed is insufficiently predictable to allow masters or other ships to readily decide what course and speed to take to avoid a collision with the ship at any time.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Goondiwindi The waters within the Goondiwindi Natural Heritage and Water Park. 17/01/2014

Brisbane restricted areas

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Brisbane River South Brisbane and Town Reaches of the Brisbane River between the Merivale Bridge and the Story Bridge. 20/10/2006

Sunshine Coast restricted areas

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Currimundi Lake and Associated Waters The waters in Currimundi Lake and all watercourses and canals flowing into Currimundi Lake. 28/02/1997
Lake Cooroibah All waters in Lake Cooroibah. 28/02/1997
Lake Cootharaba All waters within the marked navigation channels in Lake Cootharaba. 28/02/1997
Lake Weyba, Weyba Creek, Keyser Channel and Doonella Lake All waters within Lake Weyba, Weyba Creek, Keyser Channel and Doonella Lake. 28/02/1997
Maroochy River Waters of Maroochy River:
  • upstream from 50 metres downstream of Brown’s Rocks
  • from 100 metres upstream of Ashton’s Wharf to the river’s confluence with the small unnamed creek immediately downstream of Dunethin Rock
  • within 50 metres upstream and downstream of the cane train bridge at the suburb of Maroochy River
  • from 1,500 metres downstream of the river’s confluence with Coolum Creek to 1,050 metres upstream of David Low Bridge
  • from 50 metres upstream of David Low Bridge to 1,000 metres downstream of David Low Bridge
  • downstream from 200 metres upstream of Sunshine Motorway Bridge.
All creeks and waterways flowing into Maroochy River (including Lake Dunethin), except certain waters of Eudlo Creek.
17/5/2013
Eudlo Creek Waters of Eudlo Creek, other than waters from 50 metres upstream of the public boat ramp in Fishermans Road to 1,500 metres upstream of the public boat ramp in Fishermans Road, for a ship operating in those waters when the following conditions are met:
  • The ship towing a water skier must not be more than 6.4 metres in length
  • There must not be more than one tow line attached to the ship.
6/09/2013
Noosa River The waters of the Noosa River commencing 11/11/2006:
  • in an area upstream and downstream of John's Landing bounded by:- where the meridian of longitude 153º00.929'E crosses the river on the upstream side and where the parallel of latitude 26º19.660'S crosses the river south of Forest Elbow, (the 6 knot speed limit area)
  • from and including the confluence of the river with Lake Cooroibah to the waters 400 metres downstream from the confluence of the river with Lake Cooroibah
  • in an area upstream and downstream of the Tewantin Cable Ferry,(also known as the Moorindal Street Car ferry) bounded by the following coordinates:- From a position on the upstream side latitude 26°22.326'S longitude 153°02.267'E, across the river to a position latitude 26°22.285'S longitude 153°02.325'E, then southward along the river bank to a position latitude 26°22.418'S longitude 153°02.456'E, then across the river to a position latitude 26°22.491'S longitude 153°02.387'E, then northward along the river bank back to the original position, (the 20 knot speed limit area)
  • downstream of a line drawn from a position being the High Water Mark of Sheep Island at latitude 26°23.216'S, longitude 153°02.497'E across the river to a position on the north bank at latitude 26°23.3086'S, longitude 153°02.625'E (including all the waters in Noosa Sound).
6/11/2006
Pumicestone Passage and Associated Waters
  • North of a line bearing 104.5°T originating from the public boat ramp 150 metres south of Military Jetty
  • bordered by:
  • a line bearing 137.5°T originating at a point on the mainland coastline 200 metres from the southernmost point of Egg Island a line bearing 245.5°T originating at Poverty Point (on Bribie Island)
  • within 50 metres (north and south) of the Bribie Island Bridge at Bellara, Bribie Island.
  • The waters in the watercourses and canals flowing into Pumicestone Passage.
28/02/1997

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) in the waters listed below endangers marine safety except where the person is operating a recreational ship that is 4.3 metres or shorter in length that is towing only one person.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Mooloolah River Waters in the Mooloolah River from and including the waters 700 metres upstream of the confluence of the river with Mountain Creek to the waters 3.7 kilometres upstream of the confluence of the river with Mountain Creek. 28/02/1997

Gladstone and inland regions restricted areas

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Burrum River The waters of the Burrum River within 200 metres north from the High Water mark of the southern river bank and commencing at a point 50 metres downstream of the public boat ramp off Burrum Heads Road to a point 200 metres upstream of the upstream boundary of Lions Park, Burrum Heads. 12/07/1996

No more than one (1) vessel towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) is to operate at any one time, in the waters listed below.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Avington Waterhole The waters of Avington Waterhole, Barcoo River. 11/11/2005

Townsville restricted areas

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Burdekin River, Charters Towers All waters of The Weir on the Burdekin River, Charters Towers.
Except:
  • commencing at a point on the waterline of the eastern bank of the Burdekin River nearest to location 19°55.279’S, 146°16.639’E
  • then generally southerly along the waterline of the eastern bank to a point nearest to location 19°56.530’S, 146°17.276’E
  • then westerly across Burdekin River to a point on the waterline of the western bank nearest to location 19°56.600’S, 146°17.164’E
  • then generally northerly along the waterline of the western bank to a point on the waterline nearest to location 19°55.280’S, 146°16.525’E
  • then easterly across the Burdekin River to the point of commencement.
As shown on the map S8sp-73 prepared by Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) which can be found on the MSQ website at s8sp73map and is held at MSQ’s Townsville Office.
13/09/2019

Cairns and Far North Queensland restricted areas

Any person operating a ship towing anyone by a line attached to the ship (including for example a person water skiing or riding on a toboggan or tube) within the waters listed below endangers marine safety.

Location Watercourse Date gazetted
Koombooloomba Dam
  • Within 200 metres of the dam wall
  • Water skiing is to be conducted in a clockwise direction only
  • Water skiing is permitted daily between 7.00am and sunset only
  • Water skiing is prohibited at all times when dam capacity is 25% or less/li>
  • Water skiing is prohibited at all times when dam capacity is greater than 90%
  • There are to be no more than five (5) watercraft/ships with an engine capacity of 3kW or more operating at any one time.
Except:

Officers of Queensland Transport, Queensland Police Service (Water Police, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and any persons connected with Stanwell Corporation Limited engaged in inspection, repair and maintenance activities.


12/10/2001













27/11/2001
Tinaroo Dam The waters of Tinaroo Dam from sunset to sunrise. 13/03/1998
Last updated
28 April 2025