Clubs get temporary permission to monitor coast

TWO surf clubs have received temporary permission to continue using surf cameras, after initially being ordered to switch them off.

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) gave clubs a week’s notice back in late July to cease broadcasting CCTV footage as the cameras do not have legal consent.

GORCAPA has since granted temporary permission to two clubs, Jan Juc and Lorne, to keep their CCTV cameras on after it was stated they were critical to maintaining public safety.

Torquay SLSC has continued to broadcast without permission, while Apollo Bay and Anglesea’s cameras are now offline, as is one at Fisherman’s Beach that once broadcast from the Torquay Marine Rescue Service.

Under the Marine and Coastal Act (MACA) surf camera hosts on Crown land, which includes surf clubs, are required to gain legal consent to install and operate them and if found non-compliant can be issued with fines of $50,000 by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

The department has stated that despite it being a legal requirement, no surf camera in Victoria has been granted consent to operate on land it manages and GORCAPA, which oversees the act locally, is now in the process of making tenants compliant.

Jan Juc SLSC Vice President Pete Smith said the club was first granted a camera permit in October 2000, and that its supply relationship with the camera operator “provides a range of benefits to the club and bathing public”.

“Recently we have presented the value proposition of the cameras operation and been granted temporary operating permission from Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA).

“We currently have and will continue to enjoy a strong working partnership with GORCAPA as we pursue aquatic safety and community training at Jan Juc SLSC,” Mr Smith said.

All clubs are still required to make an application to operate the cameras where they must outline what processes are in place to safeguard the privacy of people likely to be captured on camera, consult with stakeholders about their use and demonstrate their benefit to the wider community.

Life Saving Victoria is representing all surf clubs in the application process.