Appendix E - Operational Management Plan

Title of document: Subtitle of document – Insert Division



•   Search and rescue of missing persons under directions from Qld Police ;
•   Patrols in response to reported illegal fishing activities;
•   Provide rapid response to and marine animal interactions within Shark Control equipment
•   Assistance to other Governmental partner agencies (Queensland Government/Federal Government)
    such as Queensland Police Service, Maritime Safety Queensland, Australian Maritime Safety Authority
    (AMSA).
•   Provide a highly visible enforcement presence

The activities of the QBFP provide benefits to the local and regional community by ensuring the
sustainability of marine resources and ensuring the safety of all vessels, mariners and the general public
within the Noosa River and extended patrol area. The Noosaville operation provides essential support to
assist key agencies including the Queensland Police Service and Maritime Safety Queensland to
undertake compliance activities as it’s the only other on-water compliance-based agency in the area.

The Noosaville QBFP is part of a broader group of operations along the coast including branches based in
Mooloolaba and Brisbane to the south and Harvey Bay to the north.

The project objectives are to:

•   Provide facilities and infrastructure that support the safe and efficient QBFP operation.
•   Provide a design solution that offers spatial flexibility for the storage and manoeuvrability of QBFP
    vessels and vehicles, and meets work place health and safety requirements for QBFP staff.

Operational characteristics and requirements
Due to the response nature of the QBFP operations, the facility can operate at any time day or night,
seven days a week. Generally there are 7 planned proactive patrols per fortnight plus additional
responses to other incidents as required.

The QBFP at Russell Street has 4 full-time staff (3 field staff and 1 supervisor) and 1 administration
assistant (1 day per week).
General opening hours are 9am to 4pm however as the administration staffing is not permanent, the office
is only open if an officer is present. If no officer is at the station, signage at the front advises the public to
contact the Mooloolaba office during working hours.

All patrol vessels and vehicles are stored on site when the facility is in an operational status. Staff driving
private vehicles to the site utilise on-street parking.

QBFP Noosaville operate the following vessels and vehicles out of the site:

    -    1 x 5.9m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (off shore patrols)
    -    1 x 4.5m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (river patrols)
    -    1 x 4.2m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (marine animal rescue team)
    -    2 x 4x4 dual cab utility vehicles

The site also shares a 7.6m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat with the QBFP Brisbane base which is used for
extended patrols north to Rainbow Beach. This vessel is required to be stored on site when operating from
the Noosaville facility. The availability fo this larger offshore capable vessel ensures a heightened
availability to respond to critical incidents such as marine animal stranding’s and compliance operations
further to the north and in more offshore waters. The incidents of marine animal interactions with the Sark
Control Equipment is an increasing trend, therefore requiring a consideration of vessel availability from
QBFP Noosa.


October 2019                                                                                            Page 2 of 4