Collingwood Wharf

Boaties should be aware that the ramps and jetties dry out completely at low tide.

Small craft navigating the river are reminded that the navigation lights for your size and type of vessel as required by Maritime Rule Part 22 and under Council’s Navigation Safety Bylaws must be shown between sunset and sunrise.

The speed limit in the Aorere River upstream of the red buoy marking the end of a groyne near the boat ramp is 5 knots between 1 September and 30 November, but any safe speed is allowed for the remainder of the year.

Please take care, especially during the whitebaiting season, that your wake does not cause a nuisance or danger to anyone else.

The approaches to Collingwood are over extensive flats that accumulate logs and other flood debris from the Aorere River.

The area is subject to one of the largest tidal ranges in the country, and is often too shallow for navigation by even planing craft near the bottom of the tide. Small craft users should plan their trips accordingly.

The leading light beacons (NZ Light List 4186 and 4186.1) were decommissioned and removed in May 2012.

A system of buoys has been installed to aid small craft. The buoys were placed to meet the wishes of local boaties that the new buoys replace their previous informal marks, so do not necessarily mark the deepest route. The scale is small at that location on Chart NZ61. Land Information New Zealand have indicated no intention of charting these marks.

A further change in layout was undertaken in December 2013.

The three smaller lit spar buoys have been positioned so that they will lie over when the channel is likely to be too shallow for navigation by planing craft. Vessels in doubt should look for this from the fairway buoy on a falling tide before committing to the approaches.

There is also a red buoy marking the extent of a rock groyne in the Aorere River, and a yellow buoy indicating where the usual 5 knot speed restriction applies from.