The city of Port Phillip, a local municipality in the Australian state of Victoria, plans to ban jet skis entirely from its most popular beaches.
Port Phillip City Council has proposed establishing a 200-metre personal watercraft (PWC)-free zone in the St Kilda, Ellwood, Middle Park, South Melbourne, Port Melbourne and Sandridge areas.
The resolution also calls for increased maritime enforcement to enforce the new rules. Port Phillip City Council passed the measure unanimously and submitted the plans directly to the Victorian Government process and to relevant ministers.
According to the council, the request is related to the safety of beachgoers, with many jet ski operators treating the beach like their own personal slalom course.
But there is also a space problem. Melbourne’s inner bay beaches can be very crowded, and with swimmers, kayakers, penguins and PWCs mixing in the narrow passages, things can get very bad very quickly.
The Victorian government has yet to approve the measure, but pressure is growing. If approved, the new rules will not only determine what Port Phillip beaches will look like, but also set a model for other parts of Australia to follow.
Photo: Taiga. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
