The rules seem to change hourly and poorly explained ( I'm not on Twitter and neither is anyone I know. Stupid choice of medium too announced such huge restrictions).
Am I allowed to travel outside my lga to conduct maintenance and go sailing ( exercise) without being turned around with a five thousand fine?

Would it be a good idea regardless?

I'm not on Twitter either, but there is radio, newspapers, the television news, internet and everybody else seems to be obeying some sort of rules, shops are shut. You can claim ignorance, but there is no excuse for not being aware of rules and the reasons/ objective behind them. Maybe it's your civic duty to ascertain the current rules?

It's a sad state of affairs for you blokes,,,
Ridiculous,

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ChopesBro said..
The rules seem to change hourly and poorly explained ( I'm not on Twitter and neither is anyone I know. Stupid choice of medium too announced such huge restrictions).
Am I allowed to travel outside my lga to conduct maintenance and go sailing ( exercise) without being turned around with a five thousand fine?

You need to keep watching the NSW Health websites (I'm guessing you're in Greater Sydney?) they have the official info
Let's just work together to stop the spread ChopesBro - sailing games on your mobile are little substitute but at least it passes the time! Virtual Regatta Offshore is a goodyplay.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.virtualregatta&hl=en&gl=US

They also have one for inshore racing - follows the big events in real time - you can even sail the AC75s!play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.virtualregatta.inshore&hl=en&gl=US

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FabulousPhill said..
I'm not on Twitter either, but there is radio, newspapers, the television news, internet and everybody else seems to be obeying some sort of rules, shops are shut. You can claim ignorance, but there is no excuse for not being aware of rules and the reasons/ objective behind them. Maybe it's your civic duty to ascertain the current rules?

To be fair to OP, the NSW government has been pretty pisspoor in creating precise legislation and communicating this to the greater public. I think part of the strategy is to confuse the **** out of everyone so much that people just....do nothing. It's a Claytons lockdown (the lockdown you have when you're not doing a lockdown).

The NSW Health website (the people who are going to get crucified when it hits the fan) has scattered Covid-19 links on the front page. There's one next to "Staying healthy during a mouse plague" (you know...the important stuff). The page regarding the restrictions is about 4 links deep. I'll let the OP find it.

It does state that a reason to leave your home would be;
Exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or, if you need to cross into a local government area, stay within 5km of your home.
If you're on a boat, by yourself, in your local government area (LGA) then that sounds like you would be ok.

I had originally thought we were limited to 5km radius but on the news tonight they said you can travel within your LGA....which sounds bollocks. Sucks to be those in Hunters Hill and not in Wollongong (which extends 60km? from Windang to Stanwell Tops). I think Victoria had a flat limit of 5km radius?

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DanNotStan said..

FabulousPhill said..
I'm not on Twitter either, but there is radio, newspapers, the television news, internet and everybody else seems to be obeying some sort of rules, shops are shut. You can claim ignorance, but there is no excuse for not being aware of rules and the reasons/ objective behind them. Maybe it's your civic duty to ascertain the current rules?

To be fair to OP, the NSW government has been pretty pisspoor in creating precise legislation and communicating this to the greater public. I think part of the strategy is to confuse the **** out of everyone so much that people just....do nothing. It's a Claytons lockdown (the lockdown you have when you're not doing a lockdown).

The NSW Health website (the people who are going to get crucified when it hits the fan) has scattered Covid-19 links on the front page. There's one next to "Staying healthy during a mouse plague" (you know...the important stuff). The page regarding the restrictions is about 4 links deep. I'll let the OP find it.

It does state that a reason to leave your home would be;
Exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or, if you need to cross into a local government area, stay within 5km of your home.
If you're on a boat, by yourself, in your local government area (LGA) then that sounds like you would be ok.

I had originally thought we were limited to 5km radius but on the news tonight they said you can travel within your LGA....which sounds bollocks. Sucks to be those in Hunters Hill and not in Wollongong (which extends 60km? from Windang to Stanwell Tops). I think Victoria had a flat limit of 5km radius?

It is certainly a ** show, isn't it?

The local MP[LNP} was on the radio yesterday answering these questions. It depends on where you live and how large an LGA you live in. In my case I live in the Shoalhaven LGA. I'm limited to about 70 kilometres of coastline but only out to 5 k from the highwater mark. I can work all day on my yacht and can buy timber anywhere in my LGA. If the local merchants don't have stock I can cross into the next LGA but not if the only reason is the product is cheaper in the other LGA! The lockdown is some sort of perverse joke.

Sorry to hear that the rules are so poorly explained in NSW. You guys are really in for a crap time because of this. Even here in VIC, people are again looking for loopholes in the rules to justify what they want to do despite knowing the intent of the rules. Last year our lockdown #2 only became effective once people stopped trying to find holes in the rules, unfortunately you seem to be a long way from that point yet.

Ask yourself a couple of questions:
Is it ESSENTIAL maintenance? or you just want to tinker on your boat because you are sick of being at home
Is there some other form of exercise that you will physically benefit from more? like walking/running/riding. Sailing is pretty low intensity and not very effective as exercise.

Australian Sailing has tried to collate the relevant information for each state here : www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/
Unfortunately NSW on that page is a bit deficient but there is a link to more detail: www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/nsw/

It seems that in NSW you can roam your entire LGA , to me that indicates the lockdown is not going to be effective, never going to work without a geographic and a time limit. I wish you luck and am sure everyone tries to do the right thing with a bit of thought.

It's quite clear if you take the time to go to the relevant legislation. The wording around exercise and outdoor recreation has been adjusted so it's pretty clear. According to what I understand, sailing is OK, in your own LGA. However, sitting on your boat in a bay having a picnic is not OK. The question is, do you really need to go sailing for exercise? Surely a walk or a run or a swim would be better and more in keeping with what we as a society are being asked to do.

Some people are trying very hard to work around the law, to justify why they're out and about. Others are staying put and hoping to goodness than eventually common sense will prevail and we'll come out OK.

IMO, if my boat was in danger of sinking, or breaking it's mooring and causing damage to people or property, that's a good reason to go out and check. Otherwise, it will still be there in a few months.

We live a 5 minute drive from five beaches, we don't go near them on weekends.

This is the current relevant legislation, a bit of a mine field, but...... it's the law. Look for Schedule 1 Page 30.
legislation.nsw.gov.au/information/covid19-legislation

I can't keep track of it so I rang my local MP who explained she really didn't know because it changes all the time but suggested I contact our local police as it was really up to them.
Gave them a call and they had no problem with sailing or maintenance only asking I let them know if I come across any yachts that have arrived from Melbourne or Sydney.
I'm on the north coast.
Grateful to be here too!

My take on it is, if you are in Greater Sydney but not a hot spot you cannot go further than 5 klm from your home. You can cross into another LGA as long as you don't go further than 5 klm from home. I'm 22 klm from my boat, so I'm stumped.

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samsturdy said..
My take on it is, if you are in Greater Sydney but not a hot spot you cannot go further than 5 klm from your home. You can cross into another LGA as long as you don't go further than 5 klm from home. I'm 22 klm from my boat, so I'm stumped.

Sam, you are stumped if you're in Hornsby....

This is the cut and paste from the legislation released yesterday. Even the Police don't always understand it. The "or" at the end of the sub clause (i) is the operative... it means you can go anywhere in your LGA (if you must). If you can't reasonably exercise or recreate in your local LGA you can go into another LGA within 5km from your home.

Undertaking exercise or outdoor recreation if-
(a) the exercise or recreation is undertaken at a place-
(i) within the local government area in which the person resides or the person's temporary accommodation is located, or
(ii) no further than 5 kilometres from the person's place of residence or temporary accommodation, if the place is within another local
government area.

It also mentions traveling by car only with your household, etc.

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ChopesBro said..

Gave them a call and they had no problem with sailing or maintenance only asking I let them know if I come across any yachts that have arrived from Melbourne or Sydney.

Yep!!

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samsturdy said..
My take on it is, if you are in Greater Sydney but not a hot spot you cannot go further than 5 klm from your home. You can cross into another LGA as long as you don't go further than 5 klm from home. I'm 22 klm from my boat, so I'm stumped.

If you're going to check on the boat to see if it's OK or to do maintenance IMO it's OK - BUT if we want this thing to end we should be staying at home!!

I go to check on my boat, which is 40k away & in another LGA, twice a week but I don't come near anyone else.

roads-waterways.transport.nsw.gov.au/maritime/covid-19-update.html




Also just out today:

www.facebook.com/291252547561000/posts/4580695815283297/?d=n

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DrogueOne said..
Sorry to hear that the rules are so poorly explained in NSW. You guys are really in for a crap time because of this. Even here in VIC, people are again looking for loopholes in the rules to justify what they want to do despite knowing the intent of the rules. Last year our lockdown #2 only became effective once people stopped trying to find holes in the rules, unfortunately you seem to be a long way from that point yet.

Ask yourself a couple of questions:
Is it ESSENTIAL maintenance? or you just want to tinker on your boat because you are sick of being at home
Is there some other form of exercise that you will physically benefit from more? like walking/running/riding. Sailing is pretty low intensity and not very effective as exercise.

Australian Sailing has tried to collate the relevant information for each state here : www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/
Unfortunately NSW on that page is a bit deficient but there is a link to more detail: www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/nsw/

It seems that in NSW you can roam your entire LGA , to me that indicates the lockdown is not going to be effective, never going to work without a geographic and a time limit. I wish you luck and am sure everyone tries to do the right thing with a bit of thought.

NSW is a Liberal state and the rules can not bear any similarity to a Labor state. Canberra is a Labor state and they are limited to one hour of recreation a day. I have never seen so many people out and about in my home town. Unfortunately, there are a lot of strangers here too that have escaped from Sydney to their holiday home! Limiting the recreation time to one hour would make a significant difference.

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DanNotStan said..

The NSW Health website (the people who are going to get crucified when it hits the fan) has scattered Covid-19 links on the front page. There's one next to "Staying healthy during a mouse plague" (you know...the important stuff).

Actually, for many in the country the mouse plague has been as big an issue as Covid in many ways, perhaps bigger, and the health issues are significant. So it Is important, even if it's not in NSW (ie Newcastle Sydney Wollongong). For inland sailors, though, the rat plague was the bigger problem. They eat bigger holes in sails, and are more of an issue when they start running around the boat in pre-starts.

More seriously, tho', we haven't been going down to the boat to check it during lockdowns, because no one wants to be the person who spreads the disease to their society, their family, and friends.

Yeah, I feel very happy that I currently live in the LGA containing Pittwater. We have a Facebook page for our bay and have locals looking out for boats in the bay for people that can't get there. I managed to go for a windsurf on Sunday to stretch the muscles and get a bit of sun but was still plagued by jet-ski's roaring past 30' away at 20+ knots. Some things never change...

I did check with the local Hornsby constabulary as to whether I could legally check on my boat, the reply was " that is not a good enough reason " obviously Mr Plod was not a boat owner.

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samsturdy said..
I did check with the local Hornsby constabulary as to whether I could legally check on my boat, the reply was " that is not a good enough reason " obviously Mr Plod was not a boat owner.

They don't know what they are talking about. You need to ring the Water Police and get the name and number of whoever you speak to

I'm in an interesting situation. Offer made and accepted, deposit paid but can't get on the boat for a test sail because I'm 8 kms away from her mooring and am in a LGA with 5kms restriction!

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RamDev said..
I'm in an interesting situation. Offer made and accepted, deposit paid but can't get on the boat for a test sail because I'm 8 kms away from her mooring and am in a LGA with 5kms restriction!

As far as i can tell, you can still do this - as in your case you will be "checking on systems". According to RMS, you are not limited to your LGA.

Thanks @Azure305 - might give that a go. I'm 8.6 kms away so was hoping that the restrictions would get lifted back to 10 kms.
I didn't want to be the guy that gets picked up for getting on a yacht in the middle of a pandemic!

The only limitation for fishing and sailing is 5km from the coast. This is while staying in your LGA and this limits me to about 80km of coastline. In Sydney it's a different story and the LGA's are much closer. In that case you can venture 5 kms into the next LGA as long as you don't go further than 5km's out to sea. You can have one other person in the boat from another family but if everyone is in the same family everyone can go. Carry masks and have some form of identification showing your address. If you are going to work then you can cross multiple LGA's!!!!!!!!!!
I was working in my cabin today installing backrests and shelves in the saloon and listening to Garth Ward, Member of Kiama {LIb} answering questions on the radio.

So I took a screen shot of Azures post and took it to Hornsby cop shop, 'yes, said the nice constable, you can go sail your boat'. On the way to Pittwater I thought ' y'know I might just check with the water police'. So I did 'No, said the nasty constable, not allowed'. I didn't argue. But I did go aboard and check that all was OK. The reason was because I was more than 5 klm from home. Although he did admit that the rules can be very misleading. Looks like I just have wait for lock down to end. I am fully vaxxed. I looked at her bottom, couldn't see any weed or barnacles, so, happy about that.

Interesting situation for me. Boat has been booked in for almost 4 months to be hauled out at Woolwich Dock. 3 months past my annual. I looked into postponing it but another 3 months wouldn't be a great idea after the major works last year so I called marine police HQ in Sydney. Described the situation in bringing her up from Cronulla and he said to him it sounds like a valid reason to do so especially since sailing alone. So I'll see how I go tomorrow on the way home.

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samsturdy said..
So I took a screen shot of Azures post and took it to Hornsby cop shop, 'yes, said the nice constable, you can go sail your boat'. On the way to Pittwater I thought ' y'know I might just check with the water police'. So I did 'No, said the nasty constable, not allowed'. I didn't argue. But I did go aboard and check that all was OK. The reason was because I was more than 5 klm from home. Although he did admit that the rules can be very misleading. Looks like I just have wait for lock down to end. I am fully vaxxed. I looked at her bottom, couldn't see any weed or barnacles, so, happy about that.

The rule is no further than 5 km from your LGA not your home.

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Ramona said..

samsturdy said..
So I took a screen shot of Azures post and took it to Hornsby cop shop, 'yes, said the nice constable, you can go sail your boat'. On the way to Pittwater I thought ' y'know I might just check with the water police'. So I did 'No, said the nasty constable, not allowed'. I didn't argue. But I did go aboard and check that all was OK. The reason was because I was more than 5 klm from home. Although he did admit that the rules can be very misleading. Looks like I just have wait for lock down to end. I am fully vaxxed. I looked at her bottom, couldn't see any weed or barnacles, so, happy about that.

The rule is no further than 5 km from your LGA not your home.

I know it's bloody confusing but I think you're wrong @Ramona.

I've heard that if you live near the edge of your LGA you can travel within your LGA but if you leave you must be within 5km of your home. I'll see if I can find the link...

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Jethrow said..

I know it's bloody confusing but I think you're wrong @Ramona.

I've heard that if you live near the edge of your LGA you can travel within your LGA but if you leave you must be within 5km of your home. I'll see if I can find the link...

Correct

Garth Ward the local member for Kiama {Liberal} is on the local radio station regularly answering these questions. If you are not in these areas
"COVID-19 rules and restrictions for local government areas of concern in Greater Sydney: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith." If you are not there then it's 5km from the edge of your LGA. Sams Hornsby cop is perfectly correct. If Sam was to go to work on the yacht he is allowed to cross several LGA's. According to Garth, all these rules are on the NSW health page but are just extremely hard to find.
Garth also welcomes phone enquiries as I'm sure your own local member does as well. Parliament is not sitting at the moment so all these politicians are just sitting about waiting to answer your questions.

The Public Health Order says: (Sch 2, cl 20)

"(1) A person may leave the person's place of residence to undertake exercise or outdoor recreation if it undertaken-
(a) within the local government area within which the person resides, or
(b) if within another local government area-no further than 5 kilometres from the place of residence."

The 5km from LGA would help me immensely, but the restriction (at least under the legislation) is tied to place of residence.

The thing is, when I pointed out to the water police that it is stated ( and I pointed to it ) that I have a ' Legal Obligation ' to ensure my boat is safe on the mooring, he said " Well you can ring the Marina to go out and check it for you ". Really ??. Totally unrealistic. But, that was his answer to the situation.