A group of young local boaties were rescued by the incredible volunteers at VMR Whitsundays last week, the mission showcasing the wonderful work of this valued service in ensuring ocean farers of all ages are kept safe in our waters.
“With the return of typically sunny, Whitsunday weather, boats are back in the water, and rescues are once again on the rise,” explained Shane Newell, VMRW President.
“One of our good news stories this past week was the rescue of a group of children who somehow became stranded on an island near Hamilton.
“Having ventured out from Shute Harbour in their family's small tender, their little outboard motor inevitably broke down.
“Stranded on the distant island, they showed great initiative and called 000 as the wind picked up. The police then activated VMR1 to locate and tow them safely home. I’m sure they had some explaining to do!”
VMR Whitsundays is operated by an entirely local team of volunteers and unlike many other operations in Queensland, our local squadron is unlikely to be taken over by the government-owned Marine Rescue Queensland until later this year.
“Until then, we’ll still need to charge $360 per hour to cover fuel and maintenance costs,” said Shane Newell, VMRW President.
“VMRW is crewed and administered entirely by volunteers, so there are no labour costs included in this fee. A tow from Whitehaven is likely to take at least four hours, which would cost around $1500, unless you’re a member onboard.”
At just $60 for an annual membership, it is certainly worth the investment, entitling you to one free tow (up to four hours) per year and that’s the cheapest insurance around!
Once the government takes over all VMR and Coast Guard operations, rescues will be free, with all costs covered by taxpayers.
“However, the crews will still be entirely volunteer-run and even now as the second busiest squadron in the state, we have a very small hinterland from which to attract volunteers, we are desperately short of crew.”
“This crew shortage has reached the point where some nights we may not be able to respond to a mayday call, which could result in a tragic or horrific outcome.
If you would like to help us out and gain some valuable free training, please visit: vmrwhitsundays.com.au/volunteer/.
The three youngsters in their broken-down tender alongside the VMR1.
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2024 Mackay and Whitsunday Life Pty Ltd.
