Jet Ski Licence Pelican Waters

Pelican Waters riders get something most of the coast doesn't. A council lock on Pelican Waters North lake lets registered motorised vessels pass through to the Lamerough Canal, and that canal connects to the Pumicestone Passage. That's the water our course runs on. We don't train in Pelican Waters, though. The course runs at our Caloundra venue in the Golden Beach locality, a short drive away. You do the theory online, then come in for a recap, the theory assessment and a one-on-one practical on a ski we supply. Then you ride home water you already know the look of.

If you own a jet ski in Pelican Waters, the ride out has a shape to it. Lake, lock, canal, then the Passage. Each part has its own rule, and the first stretch of open water is slow by law. Here's what that looks like from the seat of a ski.

The lock comes first. It's owned by council and it's for registered motorised vessels only. It isn't a free-for-all gate. If your ski is registered, you're in the group the lock is built for. Pelican Waters and Parrearra are the only two constructed lakes council lists with a navigation lock at all, so this is a genuine local advantage.

Next is the Lamerough Canal and the water where it meets the Passage. On 9 January 2026 a 6-knot zone came into force in the Pumicestone Passage around the Military Jetty and the Lamerough Canal. The boundary is drawn with coordinates on MSQ's map, so we won't guess its exact edges here. What it means in plain terms: the part of the trip that feels like the start of the fun is a go-slow stretch. Six knots on a ski is barely above idle, and new riders find it harder to hold than they expect.

Then you're on the Passage itself. About 80% of it is less than two metres deep, and it's tidal from both ends. It's also inside the Moreton Bay Marine Park, which begins at Caloundra. In the park's go-slow areas, vessels have to stay off the plane and motorised water sports aren't allowed. Where those areas sit is set on the park's zoning maps, and it's worth checking them before you plan a longer ride.

Not every Pelican Waters ski lives on a pontoon. If yours goes on a trailer, you've got good options close by. The two Military Jetty ramps at Raleigh Street in Pelican Waters are recorded by MSQ as not low-tide restricted. That's uncommon on the Passage. The June Street ramp on Bells Creek, a bit further on, is low-tide restricted, and lower Bells Creek is a 6-knot zone. Council also lists a ramp at The Passage Park among 14 water access points in the suburb.

One thing to watch this year. Council has scheduled stage 1 of the Golden Beach foreshore works, from the Lamerough Canal to the Military Jetty boat ramps, to start around mid to late 2026, depending on procurement and weather. We can't tell you how that will affect access on a given day. Check council's project page before you tow down, and have a second ramp in mind in case the first is fenced off.

Now the course. It doesn't run in Pelican Waters. It runs from our Caloundra venue in the Golden Beach locality, on the same Passage your canal feeds into. You'll ride a Sea-Doo there. It's very stable, and it has braking, reversing and a learner mode, which ABC says helps with the docking and figure 8 tasks at assessment. At Caloundra the jet ski practical is published as roughly 45 minutes, one-on-one. Low-speed control is the skill Pelican Waters riders use most, because of that 6-knot stretch at the front of every trip.

If you've never held any marine licence, book the Boat and Jet Ski Combo. To ride a ski you need a recreational marine licence as well as the PWC licence. If you already have a current boat licence, the jet ski course on its own is all you need.

The theory is the part you can do from the couch. ABC offers a free Queensland learner guide and eight free practice quizzes you can work through before your date. Riders who do them arrive with the rules already sorted, so the day is about the ski. On the water, your trainer stays with you for the whole practical. Some people need a second session before the assessment feels right, and ABC says openly that you may not be competent after just one day on the water. If you need more time on the water to feel competent, we'd rather you took it. It beats learning the 6-knot stretch the hard way on your first solo ride.

The course itself is the same wherever you sit it: the theory online first, in your own time, then a day on the water with a trainer before the assessment. You need a licence for any boat with an engine over 4.5 kilowatts, which is nearly every tinny, runabout and cruiser. Pass, and the Queensland licence never expires. Pick the date that suits you and book online.