Notice to Mariners & Warnings

Notices to Mariners (NTM’s) provide legal notification of changes in conditions within charted waters that could affect the safe and efficient movement of shipping. A Notice to Mariner is issued for the purpose of providing permanent navigation information—frequently this information will result in a chart correction.

A notice may be marked as Temporary (T) if the information will remain valid only for a limited time. The master or skipper of a vessel must ensure that the passage of a vessel complies with Notices to Mariners and that charts are altered in accordance with information provided.

The Australian Hydrographic Service of the Royal Australian Navy is the Commonwealth authority responsible for national chart production known as AUS Charts and the circulation of Australian Notices to Mariners that are distributed nationally and internationally. Information contained in Gippsland Ports’ notices are regularly reproduced in the Australian Notices. These notices are recognised as being an authoritative, accurate guide on marine charts.

Local Navigation Warnings

Local Navigation Warnings (LNW’s) provide notification of changes in conditions within Gippsland Ports’ waterways that could affect the safe and efficient movement of shipping. Local Navigation Warnings are generally issued when the changes referred to occur in waters not covered by an Admiralty chart; or that refer to a small, localised event. The master or skipper of a vessel must ensure that all vessel operations comply with directions given in Local navigation warnings.

Interested parties may wish to subscribe to the “Notice to Mariners” option to automatically receive notification when new notices are issued.

Current Notices

02/11/2022

LNW No.11-2022

Location: Gippsland's lakes and rivers

Mariners are advised that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is maintaining a flood watch across Central, North East Victoria and Gippsland. Catchments in the flood watch area are saturated, some of which are experiencing ongoing flooding due to recent rainfall. Storages are mostly at or near capacity and spilling or actively releasing water. Mariners are reminded that debris caused by flood water including large trees and timbers may find its way downstream and affect the safe navigation of vessels within the Gippsland Rivers and Lake systems.

27/10/2022

LNW No.10-2022

Location: Snowy River

Mariners are advised that recent heavy rainfall the upper river catchments of the Snowy River system has caused moderate and major flooding. River levels have now peaked across all locations and levels are expected to continue falling during Thursday. Further shower and thunderstorm activity is expected during Thursday, however rainfall totals are not expected to impact current flood levels.

24/10/2022

LNN No.10 – 2022

Location: Tarra Channel

24/10/2022

NTM 358-2022

Location: Lakes Entrance Bar

Mariners are advised that following recent bathymetric survey results, the preferred leading line to cross the Lakes Entrance Bar has been altered from the temporary “Leading Line 5” to “Green Light”. The transit bearing of “Green Light” is 347⁰(T) to Flagstaff Hill Light (F.20m 7M).

13/09/2022

LNW No. 9-2022

Location: Lakes Entrance - Cunninghame Arm

Mariners are advised that three lit, special mark buoys have been temporarily established in Cunninghame Arm, in the vicinity of the Lakes Entrance Fisherman’s Co Op. The buoys mark the outer extremities of on water barge and piling works associated with the development of the Café at the Co Op site. The works are estimated to be completed and the Buoys withdrawn by the 30th September 2022.

26/08/2022

LNN No.8 – 2022

Location: Ocean Grange

Mariners are advised that a lit, starboard hand lateral buoy, numbered 27a has been installed between the starboard lateral piles No.27 and No.29 at the eastern end of Ocean Grange Channel.

14/07/2022

LNN No.8 of 2022

Location: Shoal Inlet - Confluence of Manns-Pelican-Oyster Bed Channels

SHOAL INLET – BUOY EXCHANGE Mariners are advised that unlit buoys at the confluence of Manns, Pelican and Oyster Bed Channels in Shoal Inlet have been exchanged and re-established

06/07/2022

LNN No.7-2022

Location: Lakes Entrance

Mariners are advised that the Entrance Channel Tide Gauge Platform located on the Eastern Training Wall will be upgraded with a new structure to be built side by side with the existing platform. Works shall commence from today Wednesday 6th July 2022. Works may be intermittent over the next few months and may involve vessel operations near the site.

30/06/2022

LNN No. 6 – 2022

Location: South Gippsland - Shallow Inlet

29/05/2022

NTM 199-2022

Location: Port Albert - Old Port Channel

Mariners are advised that following a formal risk assessment the waters of the Old Port Channel at Port Albert have been identified as being navigable only by very shallow draft watercraft upstream of newly established #6 Port and #13 Starboard lateral mark gate buoys. Accordingly, a number of Aids to Navigation have been withdrawn from service.

28/04/2022

LNW No 8 – 2022

Location: Port Albert Entrance

WESTERN APPROACH GUTTER – TREE HAZARDS IDENTIFIED Mariners are advised that continuous Easterly weather events over the past 12 months has caused erosion to occur on the ocean beaches of Snake Island near the Entrance to Port Albert. Gippsland Ports has recently received reports from credible local sources that large tree snags have been encountered in the narrow gutter that forms the unmarked western approach to the Port Albert Entrance.

06/04/2022

LNN No. 5-2022

Location: McLennan Strait approach - Hollands Landing

Mariners are advised that pile beacons marking the approach to McLennan Strait at Hollands Landing have been lit as advised in the attached Notice.

06/04/2022

LNW No. 5-2022

Location: Sydenham Inlet

A recent flooding event in East Gippsland has caused flooding in the Bemm River catchment. Sydenham Inlet has broken through the dunes and opened to the ocean naturally last evening. These events are normally temporary until the floodwaters recede.

24/03/2022

LNN NO.4 OF 2022 MCMILLANS STRAIT – PAYNESVILLE

Location: McMillan Strait - Paynesville

Mariners are advised that the works to replace the safety wire under the High Voltage Overhead Power Line that runs across McMillans Strait from Fort King to Raymond Island have been temporarily postponed.

04/03/2022

LNW NO.4 (T) OF 2022 Nyerimilang Artificial Reef

Location: Reeve Channel Nyerimilang

31/01/2022

LNN No2. – 2022

Location: Mahers Landing - upstream

Mariners are advised that following bathymetric surveys, the Anderson Inlet Channel realignment upstream of Mahers Landing and the exchange of new aids to navigation to mark the channel has been completed.

19/01/2022

LNN No. 1-2022

Location: Lake King Metung

Mariners are advised that Metung Yacht Club will be hosting two significant sailing regattas as follows; Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd January 2022 – One Design Regatta for Etchell22 and Dragon Classes Saturday 12th March to Monday 14th March 2022 (inclusive) – Australian National Title for the Etchell22 Class

17/01/2022

LNW No. 3(T)-2022

Location: Snowy River

Mariners are advised that recent rainfall in the river catchments of the Snowy River system has caused localized flooding resulting in a minor flood warning for the Snowy River. Mariners are reminded that debris caused by flood water including large trees and timbers may find its way downstream and affect the safe navigation of vessels within the Snowy and Brodribb rivers and the estuary system.