Googong Dam 2020

[YZ250]

Hi all, I’m a local and fish the lakes reasonably often. You can boat on all of them and perhaps unsurprisingly given the amount of politicians we have here they are all subject to different rules, regulations and permits. In summary:

googong is electric only and needs its own permit, getting one is a very simple process and it’s issued immediately over email. Googong is a very difficult fishery - with the exception of Redfin. 
 

lake burley griffin requires its own permit, and is also electric only for the main basin (the molongo river is subject to general ACT boating rules as per below). Getting a permit requires a visit to the AFP water police station for a boat inspection and of course there’s a bunch of forms involved. Once you get a permit (they are annual) they will issue you a new one each year automatically, with rego stickers that must be on your boat. LBG is a good fishery and an excellent place to explore by boat.

The other main lakes (Gininderra, Yerrabi, Gungahlin and Tuggeranong) are permit and registration free as of 2018. And you can use petrol motors on these lakes so long as you don’t go faster than 10 knots. Not many people know this, the change was quietly ushered in. It still seems too good to be true to many locals. I emailed the relevant minister (mick gentleman) to confirm in writing before I first started heading out with my petrol motor.  These smaller lakes are all different - yerrabi was dynamite for cod 5 or 6 years ago but it has slowed now.

The people who figure these lakes out do very well. I can only catch Redfin and the odd yellow belly tho! 
 

https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/4755/~/boating-on-canberras-lakes#!tabs-2

[Rebel]

Great Info. Thank you.

[Mullatt]

13 hours ago, YZ250 said:

Hi all, I’m a local and fish the lakes reasonably often. You can boat on all of them and perhaps unsurprisingly given the amount of politicians we have here they are all subject to different rules, regulations and permits. In summary:

googong is electric only and needs its own permit, getting one is a very simple process and it’s issued immediately over email. Googong is a very difficult fishery - with the exception of Redfin. 
 

lake burley griffin requires its own permit, and is also electric only for the main basin (the molongo river is subject to general ACT boating rules as per below). Getting a permit requires a visit to the AFP water police station for a boat inspection and of course there’s a bunch of forms involved. Once you get a permit (they are annual) they will issue you a new one each year automatically, with rego stickers that must be on your boat. LBG is a good fishery and an excellent place to explore by boat.

The other main lakes (Gininderra, Yerrabi, Gungahlin and Tuggeranong) are permit and registration free as of 2018. And you can use petrol motors on these lakes so long as you don’t go faster than 10 knots. Not many people know this, the change was quietly ushered in. It still seems too good to be true to many locals. I emailed the relevant minister (mick gentleman) to confirm in writing before I first started heading out with my petrol motor.  These smaller lakes are all different - yerrabi was dynamite for cod 5 or 6 years ago but it has slowed now.

The people who figure these lakes out do very well. I can only catch Redfin and the odd yellow belly tho! 
 

https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/4755/~/boating-on-canberras-lakes#!tabs-2

Well done mate. Might also add that I was told last year that the speed restriction is 10 knots and no creating a wake by being on the plane. I agree, they certainly kept that well hidden, as I only found out by accident. Interesting too that Lake Ginninderra apparently now doesn't have water police presence.

[YZ250]

They sure did keep it quiet Mullatt.  I was chuffed to notice that last time I was out on Lake Gin there was two other guys in Petrol motored boats too, so the word must be getting out.

When I spoke to the Gov they said that the intention is to make LBG the same, but its managed by Commonwealth and subject to different and slower regulation change.  I really hope that does happen as it would be great to be able to explore that with Petrol.  

PS my original post was actually a reply to a question about boating in Canberra in a VERY old thread that I made accidentally.  The mods kindly separated it out - so if reads a bit odd then that is why!

Edited November 23, 2020 by YZ250