Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority Act 2026

This Act may be cited as the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority Act 2026.

This Act commences on a day to be fixed by proclamation.

The main purpose of this Act is to establish the Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority to strategically plan for and facilitate the sustainable use, management and development of the Sunshine Coast waterways.

This Act does not affect the operation of the following Acts—

the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021;

the Economic Development Act 2012;

the Fisheries Act 1994;

the Marine Parks Act 2004;

the Maritime Safety Queensland Act 2002;

the Nature Conservation Act 1992;

the Recreation Areas Management Act 2006;

the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971;

the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994;

the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995;

the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994.

Also, this Act does not affect the functions or obligations of a local government under the following Acts—

the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995;

the Local Government Act 2009;

the Planning Act 2016.

This Act binds all persons, including the State.

However, the State can not be prosecuted for an offence against this Act.

The dictionary in schedule 1 defines particular words used in this Act.

The Sunshine Coast waterways are all of the following waterways below the high water mark—

Castaways Creek;

Lake Cooroibah;

Lake Cootharaba;

Cornmeal Creek;

Currimundi Creek;

Lake Doonella;

Keyser Channel;

the Maroochy River;

the Mooloolah River;

the Noosa River, and adjoining waterways, to the extent the waterways are within the local government area of the Noosa Shire Council;

Pumicestone Channel (commonly known as Pumicestone Passage), and adjoining waterways, north of a line from latitude 27º06' south on the mainland shore to South Point on Bribie Island;

Stumer Creek;

Tooway Creek;

Lake Weyba;

Weyba Creek;

waterways adjoining the waterways stated in paragraphs (a) to (i) and (l) to (o).

The Sunshine Coast Waterways Authority is established.

The authority—

is a body corporate; and

has perpetual succession; and

has a seal; and

may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

The authority represents the State.

Without limiting subsection (1), the authority has the status, privileges and immunity of the State.

The authority is—

a statutory body under the Financial Accountability Act 2009; and

a statutory body under the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982; and

Note—

The Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982, part 2B sets out the way that Act affects the authority’s powers.

a unit of public administration under the Crime and Corruption Act 2001.

The authority has the following functions—

to plan strategically for the management of the Sunshine Coast waterways by developing—

a waterways management strategy; and

a waterways management program;

to install, manage and maintain infrastructure for the Sunshine Coast waterways;

to manage navigational access to, and within, the Sunshine Coast waterways;

to monitor and manage the movement of sand or sediment—

in the Sunshine Coast waterways; and

in coastal waters, or on land, adjacent to the Sunshine Coast waterways for managing the Sunshine Coast waterways;

to perform any other function given to it under this Act or another Act.