Current waterway rules
Waterway rules identify: speed limits and safety distances, vessel prohibited zones, exclusive use and special purpose areas, prohibition of specific activities.
The Guide to Vessel Operating and Zoning Rules (VOZR) details the operating rules in place for Victorian waterways. There are general State Rules that apply for all waters in the State and Scheduled waterway rules that reflect local conditions for specific waterways
Schedules for waterways detailed in this document are a reproduction of official notices published in the Victoria Government Gazette and cannot be used for legal purposes. Each Schedule as reproduced is referenced with the relevant Gazette number(s) in a table at the end of the Schedule.
Waterway rules are designed to provide a safe operating environment, to cater for the wide range of boating and water activities, to separate different activities where needed on the basis of safety, and to reflect local conditions.
The Schedules reproduced in this section are Notices made under either the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic) (MSA) or the preceding Marine Act 1988 (Vic) (MA). The table at the end of each Schedule also details the legislation that the waterway rule has been made under.
Index to Schedules
The table provides an alphabetical list of Victorian waterways, alongside the name of the associated waterway manager and schedule number.
Note: Waterway manager the Department of Sustainability and Environment is now the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).
Waters |
Waterway Manager |
Sch |
---|---|---|
Aire River downstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 118 |
Albert Park Lake | Parks Victoria | 151 |
Allans Flat Lake | The Committee of Management of Allans Flat Recreation Reserve Inc. | 100 |
Anglesea River, from Bass Strait to Coal Mine Road, Anglesea | Unmanaged | 13 |
Balcombe Creek within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula | Mornington Peninsula Shire Council | 127 |
Barmah State Park (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 120 |
Barwon River between the Lower Breakwater and Orana Road | Corangamite Catchment Management Authority | 7 |
Barwon River upstream of the Local Port of Barwon Heads to the Lower Breakwater | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 131 |
Bass Strait – Anglesea – Point Roadknight | Director, Transport Safety | 136 |
Bass Strait – South Gippsland – Cape Liptrap | Director, Transport Safety | 138 |
Bass Strait – South Barwon – Torquay | Director, Transport Safety | 11 |
Bass Strait – Urquharts Bluff | Director, Transport Safety | 15 |
Bass Strait – Warrnambool – Lady Bay | Director, Transport Safety | 148 |
Beaufort Park Lake | Pyrenees Shire Council | 128 |
Blackburn Lake | Whitehorse City Council | 12 |
Blue Rock Lake | Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Corporation | 113 |
Bolwarra Weir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Bostock Reservoir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Bridgewater Lakes (Discovery Bay Coastal Park) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 134 |
Broken River within the boundaries of Benalla Rural City including Lake Benalla | Director, Transport Safety | 93 |
Browns Swamp | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 119 |
Cairn Curran Reservoir | Goulburn-Murray Water | 52 |
Cherry Lake, Altona | Unmanaged | 121 |
Clover Dam | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Curdies River and Curdies Inlet between French’s Bridge and the Great Ocean Road Bridge at Peterborough | Curdies Inlet and Recreation Reserve Committee of Management | 24 |
Deep Lake | Unmanaged | 37 |
Dock Lake | Unmanaged | 141 |
Ex – HMAS Canberra Reserve | Parks Victoria | 153 |
Fitzroy River | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 25 |
Fletcher’s Dam | Unmanaged | 101 |
Gellibrand River (downstream of the bridge at Princetown) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 21 |
Glenelg River within Victoria between the mouth and the junction with the Crawford River at Dartmoor | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 31 |
Goldfields Reservoir | Central Goldfields Shire Council | 50 |
Goulburn River from Hughes Creek to Goulburn Weir including Lake Nagambie | Strathbogie Shire Council | 91 |
Goulburn River upstream of the Goulburn Weir to the Eildon Pondage | Director, Transport Safety | 88 |
Green Hill Lake | Ararat Rural City Council | 54 |
Green Lake (within Green Lake Regional Park) | unmanaged | 72 |
Green Lake (near Horsham) | Horsham Rural City Council | 78 |
Greens Lake (near Corop) | Goulburn-Murray Water | 60 |
Gunbower Creek | Gannawarra Shire Council | 73 |
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 80 |
Hazelwood Cooling Pond | Unmanaged | 110 |
Heywood Lake | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 81 |
Hollands Lake | Unmanaged | 157 |
Hopkins River between the seaward outlet and Tooram Stones | Warrnambool City Council | 22 |
Junction Dam at Bogong | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Kangaroo Lake | Gannawarra Shire Council | 140 |
Kiewa and Rubicon Hydro Electric Scheme waters | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Kings Billabong Wildlife Reserve (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 84 |
Korweinguboora Reservoir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Laanecoorie Reservoir | Goulburn-Murray Water | 65 |
Lake Albacutya National Park (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 75 |
Lake Banimboola (Dartmouth Pondage) | Goulburn-Murray Water | 115 |
Lake Batyo Catyo | Unmanaged | 86 |
Lake Bellfield | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation | 45 |
Lake Benalla | Director, Transport Safety | 93 |
Lake Boga | Swan Hill Rural City Council | 74 |
Lake Bolac | The Lake Bolac Foreshore Committee of Management Inc. | 40 |
Lake Buffalo | Goulburn-Murray Water | 96 |
Lake Bullen Merri | Director, Transport Safety | 116 |
Lake Burrumbeet | Ballarat City Council | 43 |
Lake Carpull | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 82 |
Lake Catani (within Mount Buffalo National Park) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 89 |
Lake Charlegrark | The Lake Charlegrark Recreation Reserve Committee Inc. | 145 |
Lake Charm | Gannawarra Shire Council | 139 |
Lake Colac | Director, Transport Safety | 146 |
Lake Connewarre | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 131 |
Lake Cormorant | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Costin | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 17 |
Lake Craven | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 16 |
Lake Cullulleraine | Mildura Rural City Council | 79 |
Lake Dartmouth | Goulburn-Murray Water | 99 |
Lake Eildon and Eildon Pondage | Goulburn-Murray Water | 90 |
Lake Eppalock | Goulburn-Murray Water | 49 |
Lake Fyans | Unmanaged | 70 |
Lake Glenmaggie | Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Corporation | 111 |
Lake Hamilton | Southern Grampians Shire Council | 38 |
Lake Heron | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Hindmarsh | Hindmarsh Shire Council | 61 |
Lake Hordern | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 18 |
Lake Hume | Goulburn-Murray Water | 95 |
Lake Ibis | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Kerferd | Unmanaged | 102 |
Lake Kingfish | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Learmonth | Ballarat City Council | 64 |
Lake Linlithgow and Bullrush Swamp | Unmanaged | 36 |
Lake Lonsdale | Unmanaged | 71 |
Lake Lysterfield | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 6 |
Lake Meering (Meran) | Gannawarra Shire Council | 137 |
Lake Mombeong | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 28 |
Lake Moodemere | Parks Victoria | 129 |
Lake Nagambie | Strathbogie Shire Council | 91 |
Lake Narracan | Latrobe City Council | 130 |
Lake Nillahcootie | Goulburn-Murray Water | 97 |
Lake Powell | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 83 |
Lake Purrumbete | The Lake Purrumbete Frontage Reserve Committee of Management Inc. | 35 |
Lake Reedy | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 131 |
Lake Reeve | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 106 |
Lake Sambell | Indigo Shire Council | 149 |
Lake Shelduck | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Spoonbill | Unmanaged | 122 |
Lake Surprise (within Mount Eccles National Park) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 39 |
Lake Tooliorook | Corangamite Shire Council | 34 |
Lake Toolondo | Horsham Rural City Council | 144 |
Lake Tyers | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 105 |
Lake Victoria | Central Goldfields Shire Council | 51 |
Lake Wallace | West Wimmera Shire Council | 66 |
Lake Wartook | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation | 47 |
Lake Weeroona | Greater Bendigo City Council | 48 |
Lake Wendouree | Ballarat City Council | 42 |
Lake William Hovell | Goulburn-Murray Water | 92 |
Laverton Creek, upstream of the outlet to Port Phillip Bay to Queen Street, Altona | Unmanaged | 124 |
Little Lake Boort | Loddon Shire Council | 53 |
Local Port of Anderson Inlet | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 114 |
Local Port of Barwon Heads | Barwon Coast Committee of Management Inc. | 10 |
Local Port of Corner Inlet and Port Albert | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 132 |
Local Port of Gippsland Lakes | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 104 |
Local Port of Mallacoota | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 109 |
Local Port of Port Fairy | Moyne Shire Council | 20 |
Local Port of Port Phillip | Parks Victoria | 1 |
Local Port of Snowy River | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 107 |
Loch Garry | Goulburn-Murray Water | 94 |
Loddon River (at Bridgewater between Flour Mill Weir and Sweeneys Lane) | Loddon Shire Council | 62 |
Loddon River, within the Shire of Loddon | Loddon Shire Council | 63 |
Lower Stoney Creek Reservoir | Unmanaged | 8 |
Malseeds Lake | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 29 |
Maribyrnong River upstream of Shepherd Bridge on Footscray Road | Parks Victoria | 4 |
Melton Reservoir | Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Corporation | 150 |
Merri River between the seaward outlet and the Bromfield Street Weir | Warrnambool City Council | 23 |
Middle and Reedy Lakes | Goulburn-Murray Water | 46 |
Mitta Mitta River between the top water line of Lake Hume and the junction of the river with Callaghans Creek | Director, Transport Safety | 117 |
Moora Moora Reservoir | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation | 154 |
Mount Beauty Regulating Pondage | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Nhill Lake | Nhill Lake Reserve Committee of Management | 147 |
Northern Grampians Shire – All rivers and streams within the Shire | Unmanaged | 59 |
Painkalac Creek, from Bass Strait to Boundary Road, Aireys Inlet | Unmanaged | 14 |
Pine Lake | Unmanaged | 142 |
Port Campbell Bay | Parks Victoria | 152 |
Port waters of the Port of Melbourne | Port of Melbourne Corporation (as the appointed Port Management Body) | 2 |
Pretty Valley Dam | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 156 |
Pykes Creek Reservoir | Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Corporation | 41 |
Railway Weir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Rocklands Reservoir | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation | 44 |
Rocky Valley Dam | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 156 |
Royston Dam | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Rubicon Dam | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Rubicon Falls Dam | AGL Hydro Partnership | 98 |
Shallow Inlet | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 103 |
She Oaks Weir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Skeleton Creek upstream of the outlet to Port Phillip to Point Cook Road, Altona and Werribee | Unmanaged | 123 |
St. Arnaud Reservoir | Unmanaged | 56 |
St. George’s Lake | Director, Transport Safety | 125 |
Surrey River (between the seaward outlet and the Princes Highway Bridge) | The Committee of Management of Narrawong Camping and Recreation Reserve Corporation | 26 |
Surrey River (upstream of the Princes Highway Bridge) | Unmanaged | 27 |
Swan Lake | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 30 |
Tamboon Inlet from the seaward outlet and all navigable waters with an opening to that inlet’ | Gippsland Ports Committee of Management Inc. | 108 |
Taylors Creek | Unmanaged | 19 |
Taylors Lake (Horsham) | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation | 143 |
Taylors Lake – Keilor | Unmanaged | 122 |
Tchum Lake South | Tchum Lake Aquatic Club Incorporated | 155 |
Teddington Reservoir No. 1 (Upper Kara Kara State Park) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 57 |
Teddington Reservoir No. 2 | Unmanaged | 58 |
Upper Stony Creek Reservoir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Victoria Park Lake, Shepparton | Greater Shepparton City Council | 126 |
Volcano Storage | Unmanaged | 55 |
Waranga Basin | Goulburn-Murray Water | 85 |
Wathe Wildlife Reserve (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 76 |
West Barwon Reservoir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Western Port Bay | Parks Victoria | 5 |
Wilsons Promontory National Park (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 112 |
Wimmera River (within the boundaries of Horsham Rural City) | Horsham Rural City Council | 69 |
Wimmera River (within the Shire of Hindmarsh) | Hindmarsh Shire Council | 68 |
Winton Wetlands | Winton Wetlands Committee of Management | 87 |
Wooroonook Lakes | Buloke Shire Council | 133 |
Wurdee Boluc Reservoir | Barwon Region Water Corporation | 8 |
Wyperfeld National Park (all waters) | Department of Sustainability and Environment | 77 |
Yarra River upstream of the port waters of the Port of Melbourne | Parks Victoria | 3 |
Yarriambiack Creek (within the Shire of Yarriambiack) | Unmanaged | 67 |
Download the VOZR to read the Schedules.
Waterway rule notifications
Below is information about proposed new or amended waterway rules and the reasons Safe Transport Victoria has made or changed a waterway rule.
Follow the links to view the following new or amended rules on the Victoria Government Gazette website. Links will open in a new window.
- 24/07/2023 | Gippsland Lakes – Bancroft Bay, Metung
- 19/10/2022 | Local Port of Port Phillip
- 19/05/2022 | Yarra River upstream of Port of Melbourne – berthing arrangements
- 09/12/2021 | Mount Beauty Regulating Pondage
The following documents outline our reasons for making or not making a requested waterway rule. The rule is not current until published in the list above.
- 02/08/2023 – Lake Lascelles
- 13/07/2023 – Local Port of Gippsland Lakes – Ocean Grange Channel and Aurora/Steamer Channels to Bunga Arm
- 13/07/2023 – Watchem Lake
- 15/03/2023 – Lake Burrumbeet
- 19/10/2022 – Local Port of Port Phillip – Point Richards
- 17/05/2022 – Yarra River upstream of port waters of the Port of Melbourne – South Wharf berthing arrangements
- 22/12/2021 – Local Port of Gippsland Lakes – Bancroft Bay, Metung
- 25/10/2021 – Mount Beauty Regulating Pondage
Follow the links to view current requests from waterway managers to propose waterway rules on the Victoria Government Gazette website. Links will open in a new window.
- 28/07/2023 | Local Port of Port Phillip, Williamstown
- 02/03/2023 | Anderson Inlet
- 21/12/2022 | Bridgewaters Lake (Discovery Bay Coastal Park)
- 15/09/2022 | Green Lake (near Horsham)
- 8/09/2022 | Local Port Gippsland Lake, Lakes Entrance, Cunninghame Arm
- 30/11/2021 | Goulburn River from Hughes Creek to Goulburn weir including Lake Nagambie – Lake Nagambie (page 2)
- 05/05/2021 | Waranga Basin (page 2)
Temporary exemptions and exclusions
If you want to conduct boating activity or hold an on-water event and need an exemption or a modification from a rule to do so a boating activity exemption is required for the duration of the event.
An exclusion zone is a form of control measure that can help keep other persons and vessels away from a higher risk activity or event or works and help control an activity/event by keeping the participants in the specified area for the duration of an event(s). They are typically used for high risk or high-speed events or for works activity.
Below is a list of declarations and notices relating to temporary rule exemptions and/or waterway closures for boating activity, special events or works on, over or under waters we manage and unmanaged waters.
Waterway managers, port management bodies and local port managers publish their own boating activity exemption declarations and activity exclusion zone and works notices for waters under their control, on their websites.
Lake Colac, 4 July to 31 October 2023 – 100m exclusion around Lake Colac No. 1 Regulator. View the Government Gazette Notice on the Victoria Government Gazette website.
Surfing Victoria 2023-2024 Season exemptions, various Coastal waters. Various dates between 27 August 2023 – 31 July 2024. View the Declaration of Exemptions.
Emergency or urgent waterway rules
Below is a list of current emergency waterway closures, emergency operating rules and urgent safety rules on Victorian waterways.
Until further notice
The waterway rules as detailed in Schedule 49, Lake Eppalock, Clause 49.6 and 49.2(b)(i) as published in the Victoria Government Gazette, S221 on 28 June 2012 are temporarily revoked for the term of this Urgent Safety Rule.
This urgent safety rule is published in the Victoria Government Gazette No. S 696 Thursday 24 December 2020
Until further notice
A 5 knot speed restriction applies to the waters of Lake Eppalock upstream of The Strait including Metcalfe Pool and Madden Reach when the water level is 185.0 AHD or less.
This urgent safety rule is published in the Victoria Government Gazette No. G 45 Thursday 7 November 2019
Until further notice
The new lake opened to boaters on 6 October 2019.
This urgent safety rule is published in the Victoria Government Gazette No. S 403 Thursday 3 October 2019
Until further notice
The waters of Goulburn River beneath Chinamans Bridge and immediately upstream and downstream of the bridge as marked by lines of yellow buoys are prohibited to vessels, excluding Span 6 of the bridge that remains open for vessels to transit under the bridge.
This urgent safety rule is published in the Victoria Government Gazette No. S 536 Monday 12 November 2018
Conditional waterway rules
A number of Victorian waterways have conditional rules that apply under certain circumstances.