Coast Guard Keppel Sands QF20

Australian Volunteer Coast Guard - Keppel Sands - Monitoring Marine Radio:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
06:00 to 18:00

Coast Guard Yeppoon will respond to any radio calls to Coast Guard Keppel Sands 06:00 - 18:00 all other days

Call Sign: VMR 471 Coast Guard Keppel Sands

Radio Frequencies Monitored:
VHF 16, 21, 22
27Mhz 86, 88
Resuming soon:
MF/HF 2182, 2524, 4125, 6215, 8291

QF20MarineAssist
The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Keppel Sands is staffed entirely by volunteers providing radio monitoring and a marine search and rescue service. In addition to some State Government funding, we raise our funds from interested members of the public including our Marine Assist Contributors, major sponsors and fund raising.

CONTRIBUTOR LEVELS:
•PWC – Limited Personal Water Craft (Jet-Skis; Kayaks; & Boats under 3 metres) - an area bounded by Waterpark Point, Keppel Islands to Cape Keppel.
•LR – Limited Recreational (traditional membership level) - an area bounded by Cape Manifold, Perforated Island, Barren Island, Hummocky Island to Cape Capricorn.
•OR – Open Recreational - an area bounded by Island Head Creek, North West Island, Masthead Island to the southern end of Curtis Island.

MARINE ASSIST FEATURES:
Unique identifying number, no longer required to provide a trip sheet provided you log on and off by radio.

Assistance on the water

Weather forecasts on request.
15% discount on Suncorp Boat insurance.
Discount on membership fee for regular raffle supporters.

UPGRADE:
Contributors may upgrade to another category at any time by paying a pro-rata fee.

CONTRIBUTION:
Your contribution will apply to a single boat owner or joint owners for a specific vessel and is not transferable on change of ownership of the vessel. Contribution commences on lodgement of an application and payment of the chosen fee.

TRAINING:
Coast Guard Yeppoon is an accredited training centre for Marine Radio. Marine Assist contributors may undertake a one-day training course and the examination to obtain a Marine Radio Operator’s Certificate of Proficiency. Marine radios do not require registration but VHF operators are required to hold a Certificate of Proficiency.

SPONSORSHIP
Our current major sponsor is: Central Highlands Safety Services

WHAT WE DO
Coast Guard plays an extremely important role in the safety of mariners around our vast Australian coastline, far out to sea, and in many of our inland waterways.
Each year Coast Guard volunteers perform thousands of activations. Rescues range from assisting sinking vessels, vessels with flat batteries and other mechanical problems, vessels that have run aground and often towing these disabled vessels back to safe harbour.
As well, when emergencies arise, Coast Guard is often called upon to perform Medivac responses from hard to reach islands and beaches and to provide crucial search and rescue functions for persons who may be lost or missing at sea or in other waterways.
Our vessels must be maintained to commercial standards and be ready to respond 24 hours per day, every single day of the year. This takes a great deal of dedication from our volunteers to fundraise the money needed to keep these vessels ready to respond at any time.

Coast Guard also maintains radio safety watches along many parts of the coastline and some inland waterways on VHF, 27MHz and HF frequencies with weather reports available on request.