With the holidays fast approaching and the weather in Europe and North America turning cold, some yachtsmen are heading to Australia for a warm escape. The island nation is steadily becoming more popular with private and charter megayachts alike. As a result, regional tourism boards and the national body representing the megayacht industry are promoting the cruising grounds. However, the government is applying restrictive regulations that don’t just create a Down Under dilemma, they make no sense.
It’s particularly an issue in the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Yachts 35 to 70 meters LOA (about 115 to 230 feet) fall under the same rules as huge cruise ships. This means they cannot moor near popular spots within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. However, these areas are the very same spots the Tourism Whitsundays board promotes to yachtsmen as perfect cruising grounds.
Now, I’m not saying the spirit of the regulations is out of line. In fact, it’s important to protect the reef and the delicate environment from discharge and other damage. But since when does a yacht carrying 12 passengers equate the environmental impact of a 2,000-tourist-strong cruise ship? And when’s the last time a charter captain tossed an anchor onto a reef or guests trampled over aquatic life?
I’m not alone in these sentiments. According to a report in The Courier-Mail, designer Giorgio Armani and the Crown Prince of Dubai are among charterers frustrated by the regulations. Their yachts were denied landing permits and access to beaches and islands. We are just the kind of business that tourism agencies should be promoting–high yield and low impact,” the owner of the yacht the prince chartered tells the paper. “But we are being treated like we’re a nuisance.” As a result, he says he is considering moving his yacht to Europe.
To be fair, the government is aware of the problem. It’s thanks in large part to the efforts of Super Yacht Base Australia, which represents megayacht-industry interests in the country, and even members of Tourism Whitsundays. But as we all know, regulations often are slow to change. In the meantime, if you’re considering heading Down Under for your holidays, talk with your charter broker about what your options truly are. Better to find out before you go that some areas are off limits.
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