Written by Graham White AM, Sailability WA Inc, Vice President
Thank you to those where to able to attend the Save Matilda Bay Action Day held on Sunday 16 November 2025, for a gathering of people who clearly value the culture, history and environmental value of our gem – Matilda Bay!
The event was hugely successful with representation from Sailability WA and a range of Matilda Bay Stakeholders including the Amazon Dragon Boat Rowing Group (Survivors of Breast Cancer), International Environmental Defender – Paddy Cullen, the Vietnamese Community, Safety on Swan, Federal MP for Curtin – Kate Chaney, students, parents, children and the wider community with attendees travelling from across the Perth metropolitan area and some overseas visitors as well.
The event was another opportunity to raise awareness of the proposed Matilda Bay Ferry Terminal and our continued drive to ask the Western Australian Government including the WA Minister for Transport to abandon plans for a ferry terminal at Matilda Bay and choose a more appropriate location, to which Jo Jos is supported not only by Sailability WA but many other Matilda Bay Stakeholders and the wider community. Matilda Bay stakeholders believe that existing transport options such as the Free Purple CAT bus and other TransPerth bus routes along Stirling Highway provide ample EXISTING opportunities for a free or low cost commute for students and tourists.
Save Matilda Bay — for nature, culture, and future generations!
See https://safetyonswan.com.au/ for all updates and documentation lodged with the Western Australian Government!
Another action day is planned for February 2026 and we will provide further information when it is to hand.
Following is an excerpt from Graham White’s speech, undertaken at the 16 November event.
With 40 years of seagoing experience in many parts of the world’s oceans and confined waterways complying with The International Rules for the Prevention of Collision at Sea has enabled me to assess risk in these situations.
“Friends of Matilda Bay, our community and future generations are at risk!
- Matilda Bay enables and safeguards TRAINING and LEARNING for our YOUTH.
We have young Rowers, Young sailors (Tackers), Disability(impaired) sailors, Canoeists, Toddling Paddlers, Swimmers, Picnickers, Aboriginal Heritage, Paddleboarders, Windsurfers, Kiters, Kayakers, Scouts, Jellyfish, Bird & Dolphin friends, Romantic couples at Matilda Bay
- Matilda Bay needs to remain a WATER SPORTS FIELD.
- How can Matilda Bay considered to be a commercial ferry route /transport hub as well as a sports field on water?
- Matilda Bay will remain on the tourism list of sporting venues for local, national, and international events.
- Matilda Bay will continue to hold ABORIGINAL HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES by ensuring the protection of designated areas such as Class A Reserves, bird sanctuaries, dolphins, swans, jelly fish at Matilda Bay.
- MORE TRAFFIC MORE COLLISION RISK
Fast ferries and a transport hub in our Matilda Bay sports & picnic ground hurts! Over ten community and sporting clubs would be forced to alter or cut youth and community programmes due to unsafe ferry crossings, , including Sailability WA!
WHAT IS SAILABILITY?
In the runup to the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, a crew of three, each with a significant disability assembled to train on this Bay and represent Australia in sailing. They won the gold medal. Their success prompted a couple of us to develop a sailing programme which would cater for people with a disability (I prefer the term ability) irrespective of age or level of disability, in a safe and welcoming environment. We have grown, and now have 15 boats, personal lifting and safety equipment and access to the Fishability motorised pontoon. Over the ensuing 25 years there have been many people with impaired ability, volunteers and support staff who participate three days a week and special one-off events
2. WHY MATILDA BAY WORKS BEST?
These waters offer a sheltered safe place, generally, predictable wind conditions, free of on water speeding traffic, but in the presence of able bodies sailors who integrate and understand.
No other venue on the river offers the same low risk and welcoming environment, the floating marina makes for safe wheelchair, access and safe loading of participants on and off the boats. Access and safety have the highest priority.
3. FERRIES ARE A HIGH RISK
The plan to operate 25 m ferries in Matilda Bay adjacent to the marina at an unspecified speed presents our sailors with a disability and their carers with a major dilemmaand a very high safety risk.
Let me turn to the adverse impact of establishing a ferry terminal here and operating 25 m ferries on this sports ground.
HAVE A LOOK?!
The 2 large orange buoys indicate the outer extremity of the planned terminal
There will be a significant manoeuvring zone on either side, perhaps 100 m. Current thinking in the Dept of Transport is that the route in and out of Applecross will pass 50 n from the marina outer structure at an unspecified speed every 12 and half mins. There is a second route to and from Elizabeth Quay in the north, same frequency.
I paint for you a picture of one ferry travelling towards the terminal from Applecross and a second leaving the terminal travelling towards Applecross. They pass each other adjacent to the entrance to the marina. A Sailability WA sailor is exiting the marina in a boat like this one, has limited visibility of the ferries approach because vision to the east and to the west is limited by large boats in the marina. Suddenly that sailor is faced with 2 ferries.
The dinghy is limited in manoeuvrability, it is driven by wind, not an engine. Will the ferry stop? I suggest extreme danger is certain and that is only one scenario!
I counted 38 small dinghies in this area of the terminal last Sunday many very young and many learning. It is not only the risk of collision. The psychological impact on some of our Sailability sailors in such a situation could be traumatic, I have had expert advice echoed by medicos on that.
4. SAILABILITY SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION AT WORLD CLASS LEVEL
World Disabled Sailing Championships and World Blind Sailing Championships have been conducted on this bay, on both occasions voted tops. Sailors with a disability compete regularly with able-bodied sailors on the same racetrack. In dinghies specifically designed to meet their needs. Coaching is provided by our Rio Gold Paralympian Colin Harrison.
Sailors from the Sailability programme have progressed to win medals at the Paralympics and other world championships. Currently the Aust Blind sailing team, Kylie Forth as skipper is training to compete at the World Blind Sailing Championships in Oman and Genevieve Wickam is proposing to represent us at the World Disabled Championships events next year. We wish them luck.
5. CHILDREN BUILD THEIR AWARENESS & ACCEPTANCE OF OTHERS WITH DIFFERENCES
I trust that I have provided an insight into what we do at Sailability WA however there other spinoffs from our programme not measured in medal tallies. The total integration of our sailors with a disability into mainstream club racing, is a significant training ground for our able-bodied youth and children. They develop understanding of those with challenges much greater than their own. The mutual respect develops and friendships ensue. These community experiences must not be underestimated.
6. NO TALKING WITH OUR PEOPLE BY DECISION MAKERS
There are those in the Department of Transport, saying to me “we will find a work around”
Will it be a safe work around? Who has the responsibility?
No one from the Dept of Transport, the Department of Sport & Recreation, Department of Disability Services nor the Department of Planning have visited Sailability WA to see us in operation or to talk to any of our sailors. I understand there will those who concur with that Departmental view, I do not. I suspect the same lack of real consultation applies to other users of the bay. This lack of real consultation and refusal to provide information on ferry speed, route to enable independent risk assessment may constitute secondary or indirect discrimination under the Federal Disability Discrimination Act. By causing Sailability to cease operating would be direct discrimination. We will see.
7. WE HAVE JOJO’S AS A SAFE ALTERNATIVE
The ferries will impact other users of the bay and its magnificent foreshore, I predict there will be accidents, 25 m ferries travelling at speed in confined waters do not mix well with dinghies/paddlers/rowers /swimmers, that has been the experience elsewhere. Separation is logical and there is a safe option for the ferry operation, relocate the terminal to the Nedlands Jetty / JoJo area. The Departments refuse to even discuss this option, is this neglect of public duty. I am happy to discuss this option.
I finish by thanking you all for your attendance and your patience in listening to a third age sailor.”
