Government Intervention Begins On Koji Debris Amongst Calls For Action

A government-sanctioned clean-up was conducted on Cannonvale beach last week as boat debris was removed from where it had been stranded following Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji on January 11^th. Operations have also begun on Rose Bay, following calls for help that attracted national media attention.  

The detritus was the object of much criticism from locals, as questions arose as to who would be paying for the clean-up, when boat owners were unable or unwilling to recover their property themselves.  

After 22 boats were reported displaced, most owners organised recovery of their boats, but some vessels remained where they landed, including the red catamaran, Gaia, on Cannonvale sands, a white yacht on Pigeon Island, and 7 Wonders at Bowen’s Rose Bay.  

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It is unconfirmed why the boats haven’t yet been salvaged by their owners, with online speculation including severe illness, issues with insurance, and lack of funds. Some commenters online condemned owners, whilst others warned not to be quick to make judgements, as the full story is often a lot more complicated, and human, than people presume.  

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As local boatie Tony Ritter pointed out following a recent runaway boat from Coral Sea marina; “People online are always quick to criticise. They say, ‘why was it out there’, but there’s always a story.”  

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Something many commenters agreed on, though, was that the debris was there for far too long.  

The Cannonvale debris removal occurred on April 8^th and was conducted by Maritime Safety Queensland under their ‘Keeping our Waterways Safe’ program.

“Removing wrecked vessels is rarely simple,” their spokesperson said.  

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“Each recovery requires site inspections, specialist lifting equipment and careful planning to ensure the work is carried out safely and without environmental harm. Many of the vessels were in hard to access places or remote locations.

“Under Queensland law, vessel owners are responsible for maintaining their vessels and removing them if they become wrecked or stranded. Maritime Safety Queensland can step in when owners fail to comply with directions, with costs recovered from the owner, through the Courts if necessary.

“Keeping waterways safe is a shared responsibility, and maintaining vessels remains the owner’s obligation.

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“Our teams will continue this work across Queensland to help keep waterways safe and accessible.”

Further action at Rose Bay was finally announced on Tuesday 14^th April, where the clean-up had thus far been conducted by volunteers, including those at Eco Barge, and frustrated locals.  

Bowen local Stuart Fisher has put huge effort into clearing the mess, and has been documenting his work online, and calling on media to pay attention.  

“I’ve been screaming to the world about it,” he told Yahoo News, adding that until this week, no one outside of the region seemed to care.

“It’s devastating because the boat has completely spewed out everything on board, and this could have been avoided.”

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Whilst Stuart, Eco Barge, and other volunteers have cleared huge piles of debris from the beach, he raised the issue of the polystyrene and other materials that have been breaking down and entering the sands and ocean.  

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Sharing images of the pollution on his page Flying Fish Drone Photography, Stuart posted:  

“There was enough Styrofoam on board to cover more than half of a basketball court or 13 cubic meters. The long-term effect on our coral reef is yet to be determined.”

Removal of 7 Wonders began on Wednesday 15^th, operated by Clayton’s Towing, with the removal taking a predicted 7 days to complete.  

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