Powered vessel free zone trial starts at Port Stephens beaches on 24 December

newy.com.au – Powered vessels, including jet skis, will be temporarily restricted from designated sections of three popular Port Stephens beaches from Wednesday 24 December as part of a Transport for NSW Maritime summer safety trial.

The trial, running through the peak holiday period until Monday 26 January 2026, is intended to test whether localised “powered vessel free zones” can reduce risk for swimmers, paddlers and other waterway users as visitation climbs over summer.

Transport for NSW said specified areas of high-use swimming locations at Dutchman’s Beach, Nelson Bay Beach (Fly Point) and Shoal Bay would be marked as zones where powered craft are restricted, with clear signage to be installed at the beaches and nearby launch points.

During the trial, all powered vessels must stay at least 30 m from the shoreline, while beachgoers will still be free to swim wherever they choose.

Transport for NSW said most of the three beach locations would remain available for general use, with 800 m of 3.2 km of beachfront allocated as powered vessel free zones.

The agency said the trial responded to growing pressure on busy waterways, noting jet ski ownership in NSW had climbed by nearly 23% over the past five years while licences had surged by 38%.

It also estimated Port Stephens experiences an increase of about 50,000 to 150,000 residents over the Christmas and summer holiday period, on top of up to 30,000 day visitors.

Executive Director Transport for NSW Maritime Mark Hutchings said the trial was “a practical way to test solutions in response to community concerns”, adding: “We’ve heard consistent feedback about safety and amenity issues on our busy waterways and this trial is a direct response.”

Hutchings said, “The trial will be independently evaluated and feedback gathered will inform how we manage safety of these high-use waterways into the future,” and urged locals to respond “through the Have Your Say website or via QR codes on the signage displayed at each location”.

NSW Police Marine Area Command will also patrol the waterways, with Superintendent Joseph McNulty saying officers would be “out in force on waterways in Port Stephens over summer to keep people safe and to ensure they are complying with the rules”, with education the focus but “enforcement action when required”.