In Lane Cove, the days of dinghy dumping are done

At Woodford Bay, what little shoreline exists is crowded by dinghies, kayaks and canoes piled up upon each other. While some of these vessels have been kept in good nick, others are in a state of disrepair, abandoned, disintegrating on the foreshore.

It’s not a problem exclusive to this bay. You’ll find similar watercraft junkyards across Lane Cove at Greenwich Baths, Burns Bay Reserve and Tambourine Bay.

While the neighbouring council of North Sydney has been fining boat owners for improper storage since 2018, Lane Cove Council still operates on a laissez faire style policy, allowing boats to be stored on public land, free of charge and without any rules.

But now the council has made the call to clean up its foreshores, develop a registration system and install boat racks and lockers.

What happened: Previously, Lane Cove Council had no formal boat storage policy. While dinghy racks are provided in two locations — Burns Bay Reserve and Greenwich Baths — they are often full.

In December, council decided this free-for-all was no longer viable. Councillors claimed improper storage in sensitive bushland was causing environmental damage and that foreshore access for the boatless was being impeded. They resolved to develop a fee system in line with neighbouring councils.

How does it work: The final version of that policy was adopted on Thursday evening. Council plans to clean up the east shoreline of Longueville — Woodford Bay, Dunois Reserve and Griffith Park — before tidying up foreshores in Riverview and Greenwich. 

A council spokesperson told the Lorikeet boat owners would be given time to register their vessel or move it to private storage.

With a shoreline free of detritus, council will install lockers, racks and designated tie-up spots for registered vessels. 

How much: For a resident of Lane Cove, hiring a large locker (for a larger boat or kayak) costs $755 per year. A smaller locker for a dinghy is $565, a rack $200 and a tie-up $150. 

For non-residents, a large locker is $1,130 per year, a smaller locker $850, a rack $600 and a tie-up $450. A 15 percent discount is available in both categories for pensioners.

Impounded: Lane Cove Council has put aside $40,000 in its 2026/27 budget for the “impounding and disposal of [unregistered] small watercraft”.