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The Government departments and agencies listed below may be of interest to persons who go fishing, diving, boating, sailing or surfing in the waters off Coffs Harbour. Other departments and agencies (i.e., virtually all Government instrumentalities) can be located via the Home Pages of the Commonwealth Government and the New South Wales Government.
Information regarding Surf Life Saving Clubs and local council beach patrols is included separately.
Information regarding volunteer maritime safety and rescue organisations is also included separately.
Airservices Australia is the commercial authority, owned by the Commonwealth Government, that is responsible for the management of air traffic control over Australia. The Authority also handles subscriptions to airport meteorological reports.
The Australian Customs Service provides the Customs Watch service.
The Australian Hydrographic Service, which was formerly a division of the Royal Australian Navy, is the national authority responsible for the provision of a national marine charting service under the terms of the United Nations Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has a division called Australian Search and Rescue (AuSAR), the national search and rescue organisation, which operates a 24-hour Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra.
Bellingen Shire Council beach patrols
Clarence Valley Council (formerly Pristine Waters Council ) beach patrols
Coffs Harbour City Council beach patrols
Coffs Harbour Water Police (see below)
The Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology is the National Meteorological Authority for Australia.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has a Marine Research division which conducts research into Australia's marine resources, the ocean's role in climate, and the effective conservation of the marine ecosystem. CSIRO also publishes Ocean Conditions for Yacht Races.
The New South Wales Department of Fair Trading maintains REVS (the public statutory Register of Encumbered Vehicles, which also extends to boats and boat trailers). A Search Certificate obtained from REVS before buying a boat or trailer will give conditional legal protection against repossession due to the previous owner's unpaid debt. A search may be made by telephone, over the counter, or in writing. In addition, searches of motor vehicles (and boat trailers, but not boats) may be conducted through the REVS website.
The New South Wales Fisheries Department is responsible for managing fisheries resources and fish habitats in the State.
The National Marine Science Centre, which is located at Charlesworth Bay, provides teaching and research laboratories and associated facilities to those undertaking degree courses in marine science and management. The Centre is a joint development of The University of New England and Southern Cross University.
The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service is the Government department responsible for maintaining the parks and reserve system in New South Wales.
The New South Wales Police Service has a specialist service of interest to boaties (the Marine Area Command -- formerly, and usually, known as the Water Police).
Note: Coffs Harbour Water Police are part of the Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command
Pristine Waters Council (now Clarence Valley Council) beach patrols
REVS for Boats (see above)
The Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service (see above)
The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol
The Solitary Islands Marine Park is one of only three marine national parks in New South Wales.
Note: Due to Constitutional difficulties regarding the Teritorial limits of State powers there are two "Solitary Island Marine Parks". The State Marine Park extends from the shoreline seawards for three nautical miles, and the contiguous Commonweath Marine Reserve covers adjacent Territorial waters from 3nm to the 50 metre depth contour.
The matter is futher complicated by the involuted arrangements of the New South Wales Public Service. The [New South Wales] Solitary Islands Marine Park is administered jointly by two State Government departments (NSW Fisheries and the National Parks and Wildlife Service) on behalf of a third State Government department (the Marine Parks Authority) which, in turn, is comprised mostly of personnel from NSW Fisheries and the NPWS with oversighting by the Premier's Department.
Water Police (see above)
The Waterways Authority is responsible for setting standards for the safety of vessels and other users of New South Wales navigable waters, the protection of the marine environment, and the provision of waterways infrastructure for vessels.
Woolgoolga Volunteer Sea Rescue
For errors, omissions and broken links, or to make comments and suggestions, please contact webmaster(at)thorsby(dot)com(dot)au.
This page was last updated on Monday, 15 August 2005, at 20:26:46 Eastern Standard Time
