A 12-metre sunken boat will be recovered from the water at Steiglitz today - the 15th abandoned vessel to be recovered and destroyed on the Gold Coast this year.
Chair of the War on Wrecks taskforce and Member for Redlands Kim Richards said there would be no let-up in the Palaszczuk Government’s $20 million initiative to rid Queensland waterways of unsafe and unsightly abandoned vessels.
"In the last week alone, contractors for the Gold Coast Waterways Authority have removed and destroyed three wrecks from the Moreton Bay Marine Park at Steiglitz and today’s operation will make it four," she said.
"Gold Coast Waterways Authority is working in partnership with other agencies, including Maritime Safety Queensland and the Department of Environment and Science, to identify and remove problem vessels.
"Together they will continue to monitor the waterways and do whatever is necessary to make them safer and cleaner.
"The Palaszczuk Government understands that the waterways are a valuable asset for the Gold Coast and we also appreciate how important boating is to Queenslanders."
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the owner of the vessel to be destroyed this morning could not be identified and it could not be salvaged.
"Weather permitting, contractor Marine Civil Contractors will refloat the boat and tow it to its yard, remove it from the water by crane and then crush it on land.
"This is the fate that awaits abandoned vessels.
"It is an eye-sore and a menace to other boaties and it has to go."
"It is always the owner’s responsibility to remove their vessel if it becomes unseaworthy or wrecked.
"If an irresponsible boat owner refuses to clean up for themselves, we will take the necessary steps to have the job done and recover costs."
"The Palaszczuk Government will continue to use its $20 million fighting fund to rid our waterways of derelict boats for the benefit of residents and visitors to the region," he said.
"The message to owners of derelict vessels is very clear: clean up your mess yourself or it will be done for you and you’ll be held to account.
Since the taskforce was established in July this year 73 derelict vessels have been removed from waterways throughout the state and that number is increasing all the time.
"The taskforce is looking at how best to prevent vessels becoming derelict in the first place."
