Cabinet Minute

DECISION NO. CABINET MINUTE

BRISBANE, pf'/ I ~ / 19//1

SUBJECT:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--- Departrnent of Harbours and Marine - Hovercraft Operations -

Gold Coast to Brisbane and Cairns to Port Douglas.

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? vO Coples Received at JJo ~p.m. Copies Made CIRCULATION DETAILS

GOVERNOR ; Decision E ile 1 21 MR. AHERN 2 22 11' v< t-1 . - 1-v 3 MR. GUNN 23 • /-u-1 - , ,.II.!.- ......

4 MR. GIBBS 24 ?' 7 ...;

~ 5 MR. GLASSO~ 25 :);; JJ I /Cl~ . -- -~ -- -- - MR. " 6 AUSTIN 26 MR. LESTER 7 27 ). MR. TENN I 8 "' 28

9 MR. HARPER ~ " 29 10 MR. MUNTZ / 30

11 31 MR. MCKECH ~IE 12 MR. KATT ER 32

13 MR. NEAL 7 33 14 MR. CLAUSOll Cf 34 MR. BORBID1 ;E 15 35

16 MR. RANDEL_, 36

17 MR. COOPER 37

18 MR. HARVEY 38 MR. LITTLE 'ROUD 19 3 9

Master Fil~~ 20 40 ( .

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C 0 N F I D E N T I A L

C A. B I N E T M I N U T E

Brisbane, 26th April, 1988

Decision Noo 54107

Submission No. 48801 TITLE: Departr.. ent of Harbours and Marine - Hovercraft Operations - Gold Coast to Drisbane and Cairns to Port Douglas.

CABINET decided:-

lo That the hovercraft operate strictly to the tracks described in the attachment to the Submission and shown on the charts tabled at the Cabinet Meeting.

2o That the company is to advise their schedules for the operations and any changes thereto, with all such operations to be monitored by the Department of Harbours and Marine .

3o That the company be advised that no deviation will be allowed from the approved tracks other than for emergent circumstances which may include stress of weather or safety of life etco Any of which circumstance is to be notified to the Department of Harbours and Marine at the time of such deviation.

CIRCULATION~ Department of Harbours and Marine and copy to r-Iinister o Premier's Department and copy to Premier and Treasurero Department of Environment, Conservation and Tourism and copy to Minister. Department of Primary Industries and copy to Ministero The Honourable the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General. All other Ministers for perusal and return.

(//\._AL /, Certified True Cppy SECURITY CLASSIFICATION "C" Submission No.

CONFIDENTIAL Copy No. 2~ FOR CABINET

DEPARrI1MENT OF HARBOURS AND MARINE

HOVERCRAFT OPERATIONS

GOLD COAST TO BRISBANE AND CAIRNS TO PORT DOUGLAS

1. By Decision of Cabinet No. 53654 of February 29, 1988 it was decided that an investigation by the Honourable the Minister for Environment Conservation and Tourism, the Honourable the Minister for Primary Industries, the Honourable the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General and myself, be carried out into hovercraft operations between Brisbane Airport and the Gold Coast and up the Brisbane River to the Expo site in addition to Cairns/Port Douglas.

2. The Ministers have met on two subsequent occasions and decided that the hovercraft would operate strictly to the tracks ~s laid down on the accompanying charts and described in the attachment to this submission.

3. The company is to advise their schedules for the operations and any changes thereto. All such operations will be monitored by my Department of Harbours and Marine.

4 . The company is to be advised that no deviation will be allowed from the approved tracks other than f o r eme rge nt circumstances which may include stress of weather or safety of life etc. Any of which circumst ance is to be notified to my Departme nt at the time of such d e viation.

Recomme ndation

It is recommended that -

(a) The hovercraft will operate strictly to the tracks d e scribed in the attachment to thi s submission and shown on the cha rts to be tabled at the Cabinet me eting.

(b) The company is to advise the ir sche dules for the operati on s and any change s there to. All suc h ope rations will be monitore d by my De partme nt of Ha r bou r s and Ma r ine . 2.

(c) The company be advised that no deviation will be allowed from the approved tracks other than for emergent circumstances which may include stress of weather or safety of life etc. Any of which circumstance is to be notified to my Department at the time of such deviation.

D. Mee. Neal MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES AND MARITIME SERVICES

Department of Harbours and Marine, Brisbane ...... April 20, 1988. ATTACHMENT

Description of Approved Tracks for Hover Mirage API-88 Air Cushion Vehicle Russell Island thence south and west of Long Island and close east of Pannikin Island thence midway between Garden Island and Snipe Islands to pass one half nautical mile east of Coochiemudlo Island. From that position course then tends north west to pass close west of Peel Island thence east of St Helena Island and west into the Brisbane Bar Cutting and upstream to the Expo site by the navigation channels. 2. From Expo to the Gold Coast via Brisbane Airport Proceed down river via the navigation channels and after passing west of Bishop Island turn west out of the Bar Cutting channel and proceed along the coast to Schultz Canal and inward to Hover Mirage terminal at Brisbane Airport. From the terminal proceed down Schultz Canal and east across to the Bar Cutting passing north and east of St Helena Island and thence on reciprocal courses to those above described to return to the Gold Coast. 3. Alternative Bad Weather Track Company requests that in conditions where east to south winds exceed 20 knots that a bypass track be approved which passes west of St Helena and Green Islands rejoining the normal track west of Peel Island.

The company undertakes only to use this track when Lytton Hill Signal Station of my Department indicates that the wind from the east to south quarter exceeds 20 knots on the signal station instruments. 2.

4. Smooth Weather Track From Schultz Canal crossing the Bar Cutting and passing east between Mud Island and St Helena Islands thence south east to the Rous Channel thence rounding Amity Point and the northern and eastern coasts of North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island entering the Broadwater via the Gold Coast Seaway and thence to Seaworld/Marina Mirage. On occasions, due to particular sea states, the ACV may cross Jumpinpin Bar to proceed to Seaworld/Marina Mirage. 5. Short Tours from Seaworld/Marina Mirage From Seaworld/Marina Mirage through the Broadwater as previously described to Jumpinpin. After a short break for refreshment then proceed through Tiger Mullet Channel south of Crusoe and Eden Islands thence west of Tabby Tabby and Mosquitoe Islands thence eastward between Russell Island and Cobby Cobby Islands. After clearing Cobby Cobby Island thence south through Canaipa Passage passing south of Squire Island to Jumpinpin. From Jumpinpin return into Gold Coast via the Broadwater as previously described. 6. Special Charter Operations The company requests permission for charter operations of Moreton Bay North and East of the Hope Banks to destinations of Amity Point, Tangalooma and Bongaree. The company has applications under consideration for a charter to Tangalooma at present combined with a service to Expo. 7 . Charts show regular tracks in red/brown. Short tours and alternative tracks in green and charter tracks in dark blue. Cairns - Port Douglas Region 1. Main Route Cairns to/from Port Douglas From Airport terminal, down Barron River to a position 500 metres off the coast then to a position 1500 metres off Yorkey's Knob, then to a position midway between Double Island and Buchan Point, then to a position off Island Point then into Port Douglas Harbour keeping west of the channel and thence to the Terminal ramp. The return route follows the path described above. 3 .

2. Short Tours From the Airport terminal, down Barron River to the estuary then close along the coast southward to Ellie Point, then across Trinity Inlet to Bessie Point, then eastward along the coast to False Cape, then across Mission Bay close to the north end of Rocky Islet, then close round Cape Grafton and following the coast to Turtle Bay. After a stop for a meal, return to <;airns Airport retracing the above route. In smooth weather conditions the outward route may extend south to Deception Point.