Henley Beach Restricted Area – Personal Motorised Vessels (including Jet Skis and Electric Hydrofoil Boards) at Henley and Grange

Henley Beach is an environment free from Personal Motorised Vessels over summer.

Please note that all motorised vessels including Jet Skis and Personal Motorised Vessels cannot be launched or retrieved anywhere along the foreshore within the Charles Sturt area. This is a By-law requirement and is expiatable by a $312.50 expiation amount.

All vessels fitted with an engine are permanently restricted between sunrise and sunset during the period of 1 December to 31 March (inclusive) in any year, between Torrens Outlet, Henley Beach South and Grange Road, Grange.

This restriction applies within 200 metres seaward of the low water mark. See map below.

The exclusion within this area provides people a safer space to swim, snorkel and relax. Council received feedback about safety concerns associated with personal watercraft, in particular jet skis, creating hazards for swimmers.

This was introduced on 13 October 2016 under the State Government Harbors and Navigation (Restricted Area Henley Beach) Variation Regulations 2016. Aquatic Activity Licences were obtained over the past three years to exclude all personal watercrafts to operate within 200 metres of the shoreline between Grange Road, Grange and the River Torrens Outlet at Henley Beach South. The introduction of these new Regulations achieves the same safety and environmental benefits as the previous Aquatic Activity Licences issued to the City of Charles Sturt, without the need to apply for these licences on an annual basis.

These regulations create a positive outcome for our community. They are enforced in partnership by the State Government’s Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) and Council’s Community Safety Officers.

Whilst the restricted area applies at Henley Beach, motorised vessels including Jet Skis and Personal Motorised Vessels can be used at other locations along our coastline. Access to the water is via local boat ramps, such as at West Beach as launching and retrieving of motorised vessels is not permitted from the foreshore within the Charles Sturt area.

Please note that there are specific requirements around operating Personal Motorised Vessels including but not limited to;

• Personal watercraft (PWC) can only be operated by people over 16 years old who hold a boat operator's licence. Special permit holders cannot operate a PWC.
• The operator and any passengers onboard a personal watercraft must wear a life jacket Level 50 or Level 50 s at all times.

For more information visit - SA.GOV.AU - Personal watercraft (www.sa.gov.au).