"Unfair" Australia Day ban sparks outrage
A camping area in Bundeena has been slammed for making the "unfair" decision to ban boats and jet skis from Australia Day celebrations, with locals claiming they were left in the dark about the decision.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will ban people from releasing their boats and jet skis from the access point at Bonnie Vale over the long weekend - the most popular time of the year to use the facility.
The access point will be shut from 9pm on Friday, January 24 to 7am on Tuesday, January 28.
Local Andrew Petty said he paid more than $300 for a camping holiday with his family and intended to take his kids fishing, but their plans have been derailed because of the ban.
"We have one of the most beautiful waterways for all to use," he said.
"We pay our boating licence, registration, fishing licence, national park entry fee, camping fee, and are denied access to the only ramp on that side of the Port Hacking."
Petty added that he would have to drive more than an hour away to find another ramp to launch his boat, and believed he was paying the price for irresponsible jet ski users.
"Maritime don't have the resources to prevent jet ski hooning so their alternative is to just force close the ramp and hire in traffic cops to police ramp access," he said.
He believed that the ban was "unfair" because a lot of the traffic comes from jet ski users coming from the other side of Port Hacking.
Another local called the move "another example of a government agency creating a problem instead of looking for more practical solutions."
Locals also argued that the boat ramp offered a safe access point for leaving the isolated area in an emergency.
The Port Hacking River is known for jet ski infringements in NSW and authorities claim they cause significant traffic congestion on nearby roads when the Royal National Park is full.
They also said they hoped the closure would also improve safety for swimmers.
"Public safety is always our number one priority and this temporary closure ensures Bonnie Vale remains a safer and more enjoyable space for all visitors over the long weekend," NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Royal area manager Brendon Neilly said.
NSW Maritime officer Jay Ruming added that the state had recorded 1,700 jet-ski infringements in the past 12 months.
"Our data tells us that jet skis are heavily over-represented in serious injury incidents. People involved in an accident on a jet ski have a 50 per cent likelihood they'll suffer a serious injury," he said.
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