Formed in 2012,the group says it is a voice for the harbour and community members concerned about development,overcrowding,pollution and water safety. It is currently chaired by retired developer John Molyneux and its AGM is on Tuesday.
Friends of Sydney Harbour committee member David Morris,who lives in Cremorne Point,said it was a minority of boat operators who did the wrong thing. “We’re not against them doing what they do on the harbour,we’re against the inconvenience and the disturbance they cause,” he said.
“We’ve got enough space in the harbour to keep moving ... I don’t want to sound like a wowser,but I think that would be the most reasonable response - that they keep moving.”
Cremorne Point resident Amanda Stabback
Morris said some harbourside residents were frustrated to the point of tears as boats continually parked near their properties and played loud music. Newer boats had better sound systems,which made the problem worse.
“The world’s gone crazy through Spotify and high technology,” Morris said. “How can you let this happen on the world’s most beautiful waterway? It’s really getting out of control.”
The group has secured a meeting with the government on Friday to discuss the new code of conduct. Critics say Friends of Sydney Harbour and similar residents’ groups speak loudly but have few members.
“They have got about two people in them when you dig into it,” said Daniel Da Silva,president of the Commercial Vessels Association and owner of charter agency Any Boat.
“People have got to remember that the residents that are complaining don’t own Sydney Harbour. Sydney Harbour is there to be used by everybody.”
Lackey,the boat captain at Experience Sydney Harbour,also felt the number of complainants was small. “It’s just a few of these people on land who think they own the world that are causing the problems,” he said. “They’ll probably complain about their neighbours having a loud party too.”
Morris conceded Friends of Sydney Harbour was boutique but said:“It doesn’t matter how many of us there are,and it doesn’t matter how many of them there are,they have to obey the law.”
He said the group had formed a “loose association” with other residents’ groups,mayors and MPs – and even Taronga Zoo,which runs a luxe overnight glamping program. The zoo told theHerald it routinely called the water police when noise pollution affected its animals,but this was sufficient,and it was not seeking to voice its concerns any further.
“It’s just a few of these people on land who think they own the world that are causing the problems. They’ll probably complain about their neighbours having a loud party too.”
Tim Lackey,boat captain at Experience Sydney Harbour
Morris also said the group had met Dennis Wilson,the barrister husband of NSW Governor Margaret Beazley. The couple live at Government House in the Royal Botanic Gardens and were recently splashed across the front page ofThe Daily Telegraph for noise complaints their representatives reportedly made about events in the gardens and on the harbour.
Wilson told theHerald he met the group after boat noise affected an award ceremony at Government House in 2019. However,he “came to the view that a continuing discussion with them was totally inappropriate”. He said he had got used to the noise and found it was now “largely bearable”.
The group also approached Manly MP and state Environment Minister James Griffin,and secured a meeting with the Environment Protection Authority. Morris said the group had been invited to participate in a review of noise regulations next year.
The group also met Sydney MP Alex Greenwich. Earlier this month,Greenwich submitted several written questions to Police Minister Paul Toole seeking information on the number of complaints about boat noise,and whether the government saw a need for stronger regulation.
Greenwich told theHerald party boats on the harbour were part of Sydney life and mostly fine. “It’s just that some people take it too far.” He has not yet received answers from Toole.
Transport for NSW has worked on the new code of conduct for charter vessels with amplified music for more than a year. A spokesperson said the review was complete,and the government was now “in the final stages of industry engagement” before publishing the new rules.
Lackey and Da Silva said forward bookings for summer were healthy after a run of years affected by bushfires,COVID-19 and La Nina rain,and New Year’s Eve bookings portended a bumper season.
“Sydney’s finally getting there with opening back up again,and I’d hate to see more rules and restrictions in place,” Lackey said. “Let people do their own thing and enjoy life.”
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