18 new courtesy moorings on Sydney Harbour!

OK, we've been waiting for this. And buoy are we thrilled. After much pressure from boating and environmental groups, extensive consultation and many years identifying the top spots, Roads and Maritime Services has finally laid a pile of new public moorings in Sydney Harbour.

The installation of 18 new courtesy moorings is now complete. They are available for temporary use by the boating public for mooring recreational vessels free of charge. Specialist contractor Polaris Marine Pty Ltd did the dirty work and laid the blocks and tackle.

The moorings will be maintained, of course, but boaters should help ensure their longevity and availability by keeping a watch and not running over the pink moorings. Already a line had been cut and one rope reportedly fouled a prop. So maintain a look out!

The RMS Boating Maps for Sydney Harbour will be updated to show their exact locations. Meantime, we can reveal them here for the first time.

MOORING TYPES
The courtesy or public moorings are the usual pink-coloured cones that allow a vessel up to 20 metres in length and 20 tonnes to swing on them for 24 hours. Then you can move to the next one and, in so doing, enjoy a free and wonderful mooring crawl of the best anchorages in Sydney Harbour.

These new 18 moorings are in addition to existing pubic moorings in Bantry Bay, Sugarloaf Bay, Manly Cove, Quarantine Beach and Athol Bay.

Boat-share businesses and boating clubs will welcome these courtesy moorings, as will those of us who aren't afraid to down anchor but enjoy the convenience of grabbing the boat hook and pulling up a buoy.

18 COURTESY MOORING LOCATIONS
The 18 new courtesy moorings now available in Sydney Harbour include:
>> 3 at Balmoral
>> 2 at Chinamans Beach
>> 1 at Chowder Bay
>> 1 at Taylors Bay
>> 1 at Camp Cove
>> 1 at Watsons Bay
>> 1 at Vaucluse Bay
>> 1 at Nielson Park
>> 2 at Hermit Bay
>> 4 at Rose Bay
>> 1 at McMahons Point West

Courtesy moorings provide an environmentally sensitive alternative to anchoring and there are about 130 courtesy moorings across NSW allowing short-term use by any registered vessel.

We have been told this latest mooring initiative in Sydney Harbour is just the start of a statewide rollout of public moorings. Full marks to RMS for enhancing the pleasure-boating experience, safety and environment on NSW waterways!