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Authoritative sources

Every regulatory, weather and environmental claim on this site traces back to one of these. They are the bodies that can actually answer a question about survey, licensing, zoning or a forecast. Where this site and one of these disagree, believe them.

Regulation and vessel safety

AMSA: domestic commercial vesselsamsa.gov.auThe national regulator. Start here for survey, certificates of operation, and what a hire-and-drive arrangement requires of both sides.AMSA: report a marine incidentamsa.gov.auWhat must be reported, by whom, and how quickly. Relevant to any grounding or injury on a commercial vessel.AMSA: Australian Notices to Marinersamsa.gov.auChanges to charted information, navigation aids and temporary hazards.Australian Hydrographic Officehydro.gov.auOfficial Australian nautical charts and publications.

Weather, tides and warnings

Bureau of Meteorology: marine and oceanbom.gov.auCoastal waters forecasts, marine wind warnings and observations. The page to open before every departure.Bureau of Meteorology: MetEyebom.gov.auGridded forecasts, useful for seeing how wind varies along a coast rather than across one broad forecast area.Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictionsbom.gov.auOfficial tide times and heights by port.Bureau of Meteorology: tropical cyclonesbom.gov.auCurrent advices, and the climatology behind the 1 November to 30 April season.

Marine parks, reef and environment

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority: zoninggbrmpa.gov.auWhat you may do where. Green zones are closed to fishing and some areas are closed entirely.GBRMPA: Eye on the Reef and responsible reef practicesgbrmpa.gov.auAnchoring, moorings and reef protection practices for visiting vessels.Australian Marine Parksparksaustralia.gov.auCommonwealth marine park zoning and rules, including remote and external territory waters.Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmaniaparks.tas.gov.auPermits and rules for Port Davey, Bathurst Harbour and other Tasmanian wilderness waterways.

Licensing, by state and territory

Transport for NSW: boating and maritimensw.gov.auNew South Wales boat driving licences and boating rules.Maritime Safety Queensland: licensingmsq.qld.gov.auQueensland marine licences and recreational boating requirements.Department of Transport WA: recreational skipperstransport.wa.gov.auThe Western Australian Recreational Skipper’s Ticket.Transport Safety Victoriatransportsafety.vic.gov.auVictorian marine licences and waterway rules.Department for Infrastructure and Transport SA: boatingdit.sa.gov.auSouth Australian boat operator licences.Transport Tasmania: recreational boatingtransport.tas.gov.auTasmanian motor boat licences and safety requirements.Northern Territory Government: boatingnt.gov.auThe Territory has no recreational boat licensing requirement, which surprises most visitors.Access Canberra: boatingaccesscanberra.act.gov.auACT boat licensing and Lake Burley Griffin rules.

Training and industry bodies

Australian Sailingsailing.org.auThe national governing body, its training pathway and affiliated clubs and schools.Royal Yachting Associationrya.org.ukThe RYA scheme, whose Day Skipper and Yachtmaster certificates many Australian operators recognise on a charter resume.Marine Rescue and volunteer coast radiomarinerescuensw.com.auLogging on and off, and the volunteer services that will be looking for you if you do not arrive.

Consumer protection

Australian Competition and Consumer Commissionaccc.gov.auYour rights under the Australian Consumer Law, including on cancellations and refunds.Australian Consumer Law: consumer guaranteesconsumer.gov.auWhat a service must deliver, and what happens when it does not.

These are external sites outside our control. Links were checked on 11 September 2026. If one has moved, please tell us. See also the sources page for the specific references behind individual listings, and the disclaimer.