Marine Rescue Southport

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Marine Rescue Southport VMR supporters association is
at the MRQ Southport’s Base /
conveniently located to allow a rapid response to any emergency in the marine environment.
(1)

Volunteer Marine Rescue Southport – Surfers Paradise ( VMR Southport ) was originally formed as Southport – Surfers Paradise Air Sea Rescue over 52 years ago. The initial aim of this enthusiastic group was to assist boat owners and fishermen in crossing the notorious Southport Bar. Based on the Southport Spit, overlooking the Southport Broadwater, and with the Gold Coast Seaway just around the corner, VMR Southport's Base is conveniently located to allow a rapid response to any emergency in the marine environment. The safety of life, and the preservation of property at sea are the main goals of this highly trained volunteer community service Organisation. With modern 21st century skills, facilities, and state of the art equipment, VMR Southport is proud to be a leader in providing exceptional marine rescue services. In 2020 VMR Southport performed more than 860 marine rescue activations, and over 500 training runs, with 135 volunteer members contributing in excess of 75,000 unpaid man hours. With 4 modern, fully equipped, specialised Rescue vessels, operated by highly trained crew, VMR Southport offers a membership that is a must-have cover for everyone, offering peace of mind and security whilst on the water. Check out the Membership Benefits page and sign up today. We rely on our communities generosity to provide an ongoing professional service to the users of the Gold Coast's waterways. If you would like to become an Associate or Active member, please download the Membership Application form from www.vmrsouthport.com.au

GOLD COAST MARINE WEATHER FORECASTSaturday, 17 October 2026Good morning Gold Coast boaties!If you’re planning to head ou...
16/10/2026

GOLD COAST MARINE WEATHER FORECAST

Saturday, 17 October 2026

Good morning Gold Coast boaties!

If you’re planning to head out on the water this weekend, make sure you check the latest marine weather forecast before leaving the boat ramp.

OFFSHORE CONDITIONS
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, today’s forecast for Gold Coast coastal waters is:

Wind: Easterly 15 to 20 knots
Seas: 1 to 1.5 metres
Swell: Southeasterly approximately 1.5 metres
Weather: Partly cloudy with a 60% chance of showers.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BOATIES?
With persistent easterly winds of 15 to 20 knots and a southeasterly swell, offshore conditions are expected to be fairly choppy.

The combination of wind-driven seas and swell can create uncomfortable conditions, particularly for smaller vessels.

Boaties should also exercise caution when crossing the Gold Coast Seaway, especially when an outgoing tide opposes the incoming swell and wind-driven seas.

GOLD COAST SEAWAY TIDES
Low tide: 5:06 am (0.48 m)
High tide: 12:29 pm (1.37 m)
Low tide: 7:32 pm (0.54 m)

STAY SAFE ON THE WATER
Remember that forecast wave heights are averages. Individual waves can be significantly larger, and wind gusts may be considerably stronger than forecast.

Always assess the conditions against your vessel’s capabilities and your own experience.

CHECK THE CONDITIONS YOURSELF
The following three websites are excellent resources for Gold Coast boaties, providing a useful combination of weather forecasts, live observations and historical data.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)
Official marine forecasts, wind and swell predictions, and marine weather warnings.
https://www.bom.gov.au/qld/forecasts/gold-coast-waters.shtml

Gold Coast Wave Buoy
Live offshore wave observations, including significant wave height, maximum wave height, wave direction and peak energy period.
https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/waves-sites/gold-coast

Seabreeze
Wind forecasts, live wind observations, swell predictions and tide information.
https://www.seabreeze.com.au/weather/wind-forecast/qld-gold-coast

We encourage everyone heading out on the water to familiarise themselves with these resources. Comparing forecasts with actual observations can help you make better-informed decisions about whether conditions are suitable for your vessel and experience.

Weather and marine conditions can change without notice. Always check the latest forecasts and observations and make your own assessment before heading out.

Stay safe and enjoy your weekend on the water!

Marine Rescue Southport

Another day down. Bring on the public holiday.If you decide to venture offshore tomorrow and are lucky enough to see the...
04/10/2026

Another day down. Bring on the public holiday.
If you decide to venture offshore tomorrow and are lucky enough to see the migrating whales, please ensure
1 - The no approach zone is 100m for boats and 300m for Jer skis.
2 - The no approach zone extends to 300m in front and behind the whales
3 - The 3 boat rule, a boat cannot enter a caution Zone if 3 boats are already present within the caution Zone of the animals.
4 - If a whale approaches a boat with the caution Zone that vessel must not operate at a speed more than 6 knots.
5 - If a whale approaches a vessel within the no approach zone the vessel must turn their engine off and disengage it's gears.
https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/discovering-wildlife/watching-wildlife/watching-marine-mammals/rules-for-watching-marine-mammals

Good morning Gold coast. Alrhough it is a little cloudy start to your Sunday it looks like a promising day to venture ou...
03/10/2026

Good morning Gold coast. Alrhough it is a little cloudy start to your Sunday it looks like a promising day to venture out on the water. If you are heading offshore don't forget to log in with the Seaway Tower.

Your weather for today as per the www.bom.gov.au
Forecast for Sunday until midnight
Winds - North to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots, reaching up to 20 knots inshore in the afternoon.
Seas - Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres inshore during the afternoon.
Swell - Easterly 1.5 metres inshore, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres offshore.
Weather - Mostly sunny

Joint Training with Queensland Fire Department and Marine Rescue QueenslandToday our crews joined the Queensland Fire De...
27/09/2026

Joint Training with Queensland Fire Department and Marine Rescue Queensland

Today our crews joined the Queensland Fire Department for a practical exercise on the Broadwater, testing the deployment and operation of their portable firefighting pump equipment from our Marine Rescue Queensland vessels.

While the photos might look like our crews have taken up firefighting, our role in an incident like this is quite different.

Marine Rescue Queensland does not undertake firefighting operations. Our role is to provide the vessel and experienced marine crew to safely transport firefighters and their equipment and get them as close to an incident as safely possible, under their direction and guidance.

That is exactly why joint exercises like today’s are so important.

Pumps, hoses and other firefighting equipment need to be safely loaded and secured aboard the vessel, with careful consideration given to weight, weight distribution, deck space and safe movement around the vessel.

At the same time, firefighters need to become familiar with our vessels and the constraints of working from a marine platform, while our crews need to understand their equipment, how it is deployed and what is required from the vessel during an operation.

Today’s exercise gave both crews the opportunity to put all of this into practice, including setting up and operating the pumps from the vessel.

Training together before an emergency means we are better prepared to work safely and effectively together when it matters.

Last night’s training took us on a night navigation run to Whalleys Gutter, a fantastic exercise for developing local kn...
26/09/2026

Last night’s training took us on a night navigation run to Whalleys Gutter, a fantastic exercise for developing local knowledge and navigation skills after dark.

Along the way, crews were tasked with identifying plenty of important local features, including boat ramps, channels, anchorages, islands, lead beacons and other navigational marks.

It’s one thing knowing the Broadwater during daylight hours. Navigating it at night is a completely different exercise. Familiar landmarks look different, visibility is reduced, and good situational awareness, navigation and communication become even more important.

A great practical training run and another opportunity for our crews to build the local knowledge and skills needed when responding on the water after dark.

⚓ MRQ SOUTHPORT – EAST & WEST COMING TOGETHER ⚓A great morning today with crews from MRQ Southport East joining MRQ Sout...
26/09/2026

⚓ MRQ SOUTHPORT – EAST & WEST COMING TOGETHER ⚓
A great morning today with crews from MRQ Southport East joining MRQ Southport West for breakfast, with 23 volunteers coming together as one team.
The photos say a lot — former VMR and Coast Guard vessels sitting side by side on the same pontoon, and volunteers from both units sitting around the same tables.
While both units have their own proud history, we are now all part of Marine Rescue Queensland Southport, working towards the same goal.
Today was about building relationships, strengthening team morale and getting to know the people we’ll be training and working alongside into the future.
By sharing our knowledge, experience and resources, we can continue building a stronger team and provide the best possible marine rescue service across the Gold Coast waterways.
Two units, one team, one purpose — keeping our community safe on the water. ⚓🚤
A big thanks to everyone from East and West who came along. Hopefully the first of many breakfasts together!

Yellow Crew on duty today. 2AM start with massive amount y of seaway tower logons. Two jobs down already. A great day to...
19/09/2026

Yellow Crew on duty today.
2AM start with massive amount y of seaway tower logons. Two jobs down already.

A great day to be on the water.

Crews on site and ready to assist 24/7.

Address

Muriel Henchman Drive
Gold Coast, QLD
4217

Telephone

0755911300

Website

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