Swan and Canning Rivers notices
View navigational warnings, event notices and Temporary Notices To Mariners for the Swan and Canning Rivers.
Warning: Barrack Square Starboard Mark - Swan River - Damaged and Unlit
Event: Pyrotechnics display, Closure of Waters, Matilda Bay – Swan River
From 8:00pm to 9:00pm all the waters within a 100 metre radius of the firing point located at approximately 31° 58.910’S, 115° 49.588’E. (approximately 430 metres north east of Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Conditions of Closure:
No vessel shall transit through, anchor or moor within the closed waters area;
Bonafide vessels associated with the fireworks display are exempt from the closure;
Swimming is prohibited in the above area of closure.
This area is set aside for safety measures during the set up and display of pyrotechnics.
Event: 5 Knots, Ski area closed from Deep Water Point to Canning Bridge, Canning River.
The following area is closed to water skiing activities and the speed limited to 5 knots as rowers will be competing in the 'Rowing WA Masters Regatta #2' during the following date, time and location:
Sunday 30 March 2025 from 07:00 AM to 2:00 PM between Deep Water Point to Canning Bridge.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution and adhere to the 5-knot speed limit when transiting the area during the above times.
Event: Paddle WA Canoe Marathon State Championships, Ascot Kayak Club, Garvey Park – Swan River
The course will include a lap of Ron Courtney Island and then the competitors will travel upstream to a turnaround buoy roughly located in line with Villiers Street East.
The course will be marked during the day with red temporary buoys installed on the afternoon of Friday 28th March and will be removed at the end of the last race on each day.
Mariners are advised that the river remains open to navigation however, event support boats may requested that mariners proceed to one side of the race course and so as to not impede on the paddle craft competing in the event.
Warning: Vessel washed ashore - Point Walter Sandbar
Mariners are advised to proceed with caution when navigating the area and be aware for potential debris.
Advice: Maintenance Works - Garrat Road Bridge, Swan River
Operations will be undertaken from a 5.9m Aluminium Monohull which will move between the shoreline to the floating scaffolding underneath the bridge.
Yellow buoys equipped with yellow flashing lights will be installed upstream and downstream from the works and will remain in place for the duration of the works. The light pattern will be 0.5 seconds on followed by 1 second off (Flash Code 1).
Operators will monitor Marine VHF Channel 16.
Mariners are advised to keep a safe distance from works at all times.
Event: Closure of Waters, Pyrotechnics display, Coode St Jetty, Swan River
Area of Closure: All the waters within a 100m metre radius of the firing point located at approximately 31° 58.398’ S, 115° 51.713’ E (approximately 300m west - northwest of Coode Street Jetty)
Conditions of Closure:
No vessel shall transit through, anchor or moor within the closed waters area;
Bonafide vessels associated with the fireworks display are exempt from the closure;
Swimming is prohibited in the above area of closure.
This area is set aside for safety measures during the set up and display of pyrotechnics.
Advice: Bridge Inspection works – Windan Bridge, Swan River
The works will take place during daylight hours and will be conducted from a self-propelled barge (Harrah J) equipped with an elevated work platform. The barge will inspect the entire length of the bridge structure.
A Westcoast Workboat will be involved in the inspection to assist the works barge and to direct marine traffic safely through the Navigation span during that time.
The works barge, (12m x 5.5 m) will partially impede the navigational channel for a short period of time reducing the width of the navigable channel.
Where larger vessel or vessel skippers that are not comfortable with passing next to the working barge, the barge will stop inspection works and exit the navigation span of the bridge to allow any marine traffic to pass through.
A spotter vessel will be positioned close to the navigational span to assist with vessel traffic management and will monitor VHF Channel 16 and communicate ship to ship on VHF 9 during operating hours. Traffic management vessels will display orange flashing lights, spotter vessel signage and loud hailer for communications with vessels that do not have VHF radio.
All vessels taking part in these works will display shapes and lights in accordance with the Prevention of Collisions at Sea Regulations 1983 at all times.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution and are requested to follow direction from the spotter vessel and to be wake aware.
Warning: Vessel Sunk on Mooring - Mosman Park
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when in the area.
Warning: Vessel Sunk on its Mooring - Bull Creek
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution.
Warning: Large Vessel Sunk on its Mooring - Bull Creek
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when in the vicinity.
Warning: Yacht Sunk - Oyster Beds, East Fremantle Swan River
Mariners are advised to proceed with caution when navigating this area.
Advice: Closure of Waters to Passive Craft and Swimming, East Fremantle, Swan River
from 1st September 2024 to 1st September 2025 between the hours of 7am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday inclusive:
Passive Craft:
• All paddle craft including, stand-up paddle boards,
kayaks, rowing vessels
• Sailing dinghies, windsurfers
• Hydrofoil boards
Location;
All the waters of the Swan River that are approximately 720 metres upstream of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge and approximately 846 metres downstream of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge, bound by a line between 32°02.192' S, 115°45.735' E (117 metres upstream of Dome Café) and 32°02.219' S, 115°45.540' E, (40 metres downstream of Gilbert Fraser Reserve) and upstream of a line between 32°02.778' S, 115°44.909' S and 32°02.628' S, 115°44.704' E, within the Fremantle Inner harbour.
All coordinates based on GDA2020.
For more information, please click on the link below.
Advice: Yellow Marker Buoy Deployed 50m from the Old Swan Brewery Jetty, Matilda Bay
Please proceed with caution when transiting this area.
Warning: Hazards – Semi-Submerged Piles and Post – Scout Water Activity Centre Como, Canning River
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when transiting in the area.
Advice: Installation of 3 Shark Monitoring Buoys
East Freemantle 32°2.4180S 115°45.5760E
Blackwall Reach 32°0.9840S 115°47.0580E
Canning Bridge 32°0.7284S 115°51.27600E
The above buoys are yellow meridian spar buoys equipped with a flashing yellow light.
Flash rate: Fl Y 4s
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution and keep well clear of the above buoys.
Advice: Installation of 6x Subsurface Receivers – Swan River
Port of Fremantle – River mouth: 23: 3.307S, 115: 44.159E
Minim Cove Park: 32: 1.384S, 115: 45.994E
Bicton Baths: 32: 1.624S, 115: 46,580E
Keane’s Point: 32: 0.074S, 115: 46.587E
Mosman Bay: 32: 0,636S, 115: 46.564E
Melville Waters: 32: 0.242S, 115: 49.074E
The above receivers consist of a receiver secured to a subsurface float which are attached to a concrete block and protrude approximately 1.5m above the riverbed. Each site will have a minimum clearance of 5.5 metres.
Recovery date: March 2026
No vessel is to interfere with the above receivers and associated equipment at any time.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when transiting the area and keep well clear of the above receivers and associated equipment at all times.
Advice: Deployment of Marker Buoy – Waylen Bay
31: 59.992S, 115: 50.585E
The above marker buoy is yellow in colour (special mark), approximately 1.5m in height and equipped with flashing yellow light.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution and keep clear of the above monitoring buoy.
Warning: Leeuwin Cadet Jetty - Swan River East Fremantle
Description: Mariners are advised that the current condition of the Leeuwin Cadet Jetty is condemned and not safe to moor alongside.
Location: 32° 1.565’S, 115° 46.100’E
Chart reference: Department of Transport chart WA898 – Swan and Canning Rivers
• Start date:17/04/2023
• Issued: 17/04/2023
• Number: 4867
Advice: Shark Tagging – Swan and Canning Rivers
Non buoyant long lines of up to 200m will be deployed parallel to the river bank for approximately two hours at a time. Where possible, the lines will be deployed outside of navigational channels and to the outer limits or the river however sharks and river conditions could mean the equipment is dragged on to channels. The end of the lines will be fitted with a vertical riser with a white float and reflective tape at the water surface. During the deployment, the equipment will be monitored by vessel at all times.
Mariners and divers are reminded to exercise caution and not interfere with fishing equipment.
Warning: Submerged hazard, Coode Street Boat Ramp - Swan River South Perth
Advice: Sea plane operations, Perth Water
Mariners are advised of daylight sea plane operations, including landing and take-off activities, in Perth Water.
The landing and take-off areas (depending on wind conditions) are south of Riverside Drive channel and east of the Mends Street channel.
Chart reference: DoT Chart WA - 898 'Swan and Canning River'.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution when transiting the above area and be aware of sea plane activity in this location.
Advice: Southern span navigation, Fremantle traffic bridge
Mariners are advised that large vessels may at times navigate downstream through the southern span of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge against the flow of traffic. This may occur whilst access through the Central and Northern navigable spans are restricted due to tidal influences or closures due to ongoing works.
Mariners are advised to keep a safe speed and lookout, and navigate with caution when transiting upstream through the southern span of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge.
Advice: Compulsory pilotage requirements, Port of Perth
Vessel masters are reminded that all vessels wishing to transit or operate within the port limit which either:
Have a LOA of 35 meters or greater; or
Are engaged in towing operations where the total length of the tow (measured from the bow of the towing vessel to the stern of the towed vessel) is 35 metres or greater.
Are required to engage the services of a suitably licensed marine pilot or the vessel Master must be the holder of a current Port of Perth Pilot Exemption Certificate.
Vessels, vessel Masters or operators of vessels affected by this requirement are invited to approach the Department of Transport Harbour Masters office at port.ops@transport.wa.gov.au to apply for a Pilot Exemption Certificate to be issued.