A watershed trial of three new Jet Ski exclusion zones in Port Stephens – just north of the NSW Central Coast – could lead to the roll-out of further no-go areas at known trouble spots for hoon behaviour, such as Brighton Le Sands in Sydney’s south.
Authorities today renewed their calls for calm on the water as a four-week trial of three exclusion zones for Jet Skis and powered boats is about to commence in Port Stephens, a popular holiday destination over summer as it is just a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney.
Above: NSW Maritime patrols one of the exclusion zones in Port Stephens, which aims to separate swimmers from powered boats and Jet Skis.
From 24 December 2025 to 26 January 2026, powered boats and Jet Skis will be banned from three small stretches of beach – approximately 800 metres of a 3.2-metre shoreline.
The new exclusion zones in Port Stephens will apply to sections of:
- Dutchman’s Beach
- Fly Point
- Shore Bay
Above: NSW Police and NSW Maritime on patrol in Port Stephens.
In a media conference today, Mark Hutchings, the Executive Director of NSW Maritime and former Commander of the NSW Police Marine Area Command said:
“This is a pro-active strategy to keep Jet Skis and powered boats out of areas where people can safely swim.
“We know every holiday season, thousands of people come to Port Stevens to enjoy one of the most beautiful waterways in the world.
“We are doing this trial … over four weeks to see whether these exclusion zones work.
“We want people to come to Port Stevens, get their Jet Skis … and enjoy themselves.
“But we also want people on passive watercraft – such as paddle boards, kayaks and swimming – to be safe.
“This (exclusion zone trial) is not about banning people. We’re only using certain sections of Dutchman’s Beach, Fly Point, and a section of Shore Bay.
“We want people to enjoy Port Stevens, but we also want to get through this holiday season without anyone being killed or seriously injured.”
Above: NSW Police will also be patrolling trouble spots on Jet Skis.
Mr Hutchings said NSW has seen an “exponential increase” in the amount of Jet Skis across the state, accounting for 40 per cent of all new boat sales and 95,000 Jet Ski licence holders.
“So (Jet Skis) have, in some cases, changed the dynamic of some waterways, and certainly here at Port Stevens, it gets very busy.
“We want to make sure we separate that sort of activity from people who just want to come down and have a swim and bring their kids with a spade and a bucket, and just be able to sit on the shore and not have to worry about (speeding Jet Skis) coming in, and maybe a tragedy occurring.”
Above: Jet Skis hooning in a go-slow zone near Brighton Le Sands recently.
Authorities said the Port Stephens exclusion zones will be patrolled by NSW Maritime and NSW Police throughout the trial.
Sergeant Clint Brown from the NSW Police Marine Area Command said:
“The majority of Jet Ski users do obey the law and do the correct thing. It’s that small minority … that ruin it for law-abiding citizens.
“Those who come onto our waterways and ride in a dangerous and menacing manner will be met with the full force of the law.
“There are also cameras at these locations, and we want Jet Ski riders to do the right thing. If you come under our notice, you’ll be dealt with.”
Above: Jet Skis hooning in a go-slow zone near Brighton Le Sands recently.
NSW Maritime said the Port Stephens trial will be independently assessed by an outside company, before making the exclusion zone permanent in the area – or introducing exclusion zones in other known hot spots such as Brighton Le Sands, in Sydney’s south.
“This trial is being evaluated independently of NSW Maritime,” said Mr Hutchings.
“We’ve actually got a company to come in and (assess) it, so it’s a non-biased look at the positive and the negative feedback during the course of the four-week trial.
“We want to make sure that if we are going to put these (exclusion) zones in, that everyone can work with them.
“But firstly, we’re going to see whether it works or not, before we make it full time.
“We’re going to take feedback from everyone. We want to see it from our Jet Ski riders. We want to see it from members of the public … and people going down there and having a swim, and just see ‘is this something that we can make work’?”
During the trial, all powered vessels must stay at least 30m away from the shoreline. Clear signage will be installed at each of the three trial sites and at nearby boat ramps.
NSW Police said Jet Ski riders and powered boat users would initially be issued a warning if they ventured into the exclusion zone, but if they continued to flout the law they risk being issued with a penalty notice.
“We don’t expect everyone to know about the new exclusion zones,” said Sergeant Brown.
“If we were to interact with someone, we’ll educate that person first. But if they choose not to obey our directions, then clearly we will take action.”
Above: NSW Police Marine Area Command Sergeant Clint Brown (left), NSW Maritime Executive Director Mark Hutchings (right) at Port Stephens today.
Jet Ski riders who speed or ride dangerously face fines up to $500 and a 12-month ban for serious offences.
“Depending on the behaviour of the Jet Ski rider, we we can impound skis, we can confiscate them, there are licence disqualifications,” said Sergeant Brown.
NSW Maritime said the trial was important because Jet Ski ownership in NSW has increased by almost 23 per cent over the past five years and the number of Jet Ski license holders has surged by 38 per cent.
“This rise has led to concerns about the safe sharing of crowded beaches with swimmers and paddlers during peak holiday seasons,” said Mr Hutchings.
“This trial is a practical way to test solutions in response to community concerns. We’ve heard consistent feedback about safety and amenity issues on our busy waterways and this trial is a direct response.
“The trial will be independently evaluated and feedback gathered will inform how we manage safety of these high-use waterways into the future.
“I strongly encourage the local community to provide feedback on the trial through the Have You Say website or via QR codes on the signage displayed at each location.”
MORE: All our Sea-Doo coverage in one click
MORE: All our Yamaha WaveRunner coverage in one click
MORE: All our Kawasaki Jet Ski coverage in one click
MORE: All our news coverage in one click
MORE: Follow us on Facebook
MORE: Follow us on YouTube