Joshua Smith

So you’ve just bought a jet ski and you’re looking for riding spots in and around Sydney that are legal. Let me show you the best places out there!

This guide of mine will share some popular publicly-known spots and local secret spots for the personal watercraft enthusiast. Each of these are less than 2 hours drive from the city, making it the perfect day-trip experience!

Let’s begin…

Best Places to Jet Ski in Sydney

We’re pretty well spoiled for choice here in Australia. Great waterways and epic weather. Sure, Queensland is slightly better for jet ski adventures, but Sydney still has a few great things going for it. No crocs for instance!

I’m going to share with you 9 great spots to ride your jet ski near Sydney that aren’t the obvious Pacific Ocean.

1. Hawkesbury River

Think no stingers and no sharks and you’ve got the Hawkesbury River. This place is very popular on weekends and during school holidays but there is often enough space to get around people.

The wind is minimal on the river most days so you’ll be able to get past 100km/h if you’re confident enough to do it. Just watch the blind bends as some people don’t understand the rules of the waterways.

2. Botany Bay

You can actually go riding in Botany Bay but be mindful that there is a lot of marine traffic here. Just like the Hawkesbury, this gets packed out on weekends.

It’s also a bit choppy too, so avoid the windy days. I find it hard to get past 70km/h due to the less than ideal conditions here.

3. Port Hacking

Another good spot is Port Hacking where is sort of on the way to Woolongong. There is a couple of spots you can launch but parking is limited at these boat ramps.

There isn’t much of an inland waterway before you hit the open ocean, so my 1st preference is always Botany. But given that most people don’t know about this spot, you’re less likely to come across other marine traffic apart from kayaks.

4. Central Coast

If you’re keen for it, then I would head up to the Central Coast. If you’re going on a weekend, leave Sydney very early and return late (like, after dinner time).

Broken Bay has many good spots and you only need to jump on to the local Central Coast PWC group to find them. I won’t share those local secrets out here. 🙂

5. Tuggerah Lake

Tuggerah Lake is a great spot to visit while you’re on the Central Coast. It has minimal marine traffic and is directly connected to the ocean. It’s pretty big too at roughly the size of Paramatta.

The only issue is the murky water which might be hiding bull sharks and submerged logs. But if you can handle that, then Tuggerah really gets my tick of approval as a place to ride a jet ski.

6. Newcastle

While just within 2 hours of Sydney, Newcastle has a few great spots that are reasonably good for jet ski riding. Not too many locals own PWCs so the waterways aren’t as packed as Sydney.

My recommendation is that you stretch past Newcastle city-centre and on to Karuah River near Port Stevens. You’ll find much more room than in the Hunter River.

7. Woolongong

Instead of going north for the weekend, try going south! Woolongong has Lake Illawarra which is the local favourite.

What I like about this lake is that it’s connected to the ocean. If you’re over the flat-water and want to do some wave-jumping action, then you can slip under the bridge and be on the open ocean in less than 5 minutes.

8. Sydney Waterways

Sydney itself has some great jet ski riding spots but unfortunately, none are near the city. If you do have a boat available then west of Beauty Point and west of Vaucluse where kite surfing is held are both great spots. Just watch out for the water ferries that frequent this area, plus other boats too.

Just a word on riding in Sydney Harbour itself. Jet Ski riding is banned from under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and anywhere east and west of this location, with heavy fines issued. Use the southern and northern heads. This is in the interests of public safety, especially as the swell and marine traffic is very intense.

9. Lake Macquarie

Not to be confused with Port Macquarie which is 4 hours north of Sydney, Lake Macquarie is reachable in less than 90 minutes. You can launch your jet ski near Morisset and have a sizable area in which to play.

The depth of this lake isn’t the best. In addition, the locals aren’t too happy with the jet ski riders creating so much noise, so there is talk of this riding spot being shut down soon.

Staying Safe

I’m a real advocate of being a responsible personal watercraft user. For that reason, you need to stay safe when riding your jet ski anywhere near Sydney. Remember – it’s not you, but the other person you need to watch out for.

Here are some quick tips:

1. Slow down around river bends. Don’t just assume it’s all clear.
2. The marine rules are often ignored by people. You’ve been warned!
3. People inherently just hate jet skis – you’ll learn that pretty quickly.
4. Always wear your life jacket as the NSW water police are everywhere
5. Weekends are super busy on the waterways, so weekdays are best
6. Take it easy at a new spot & ask the local Australian riders for advice
7. Remember the etiquette of boat ramp usage, since they can get busy

Above all else, have fun in our great country!

So you’re either looking to buy or have already bought a jet ski, but you need to store it somewhere. I’ll show you how to keep it away from those nasty thieves.

Keeping your jet ski safe is important because personal watercraft is one of the most highly stolen items around. Let’s look at 8 ways and unique places to store them safely.

Safe Jet Ski Storage Tips

It isn’t too hard to find a good place to keep your PWC safe, nor is it hard to follow some of the advice here.

After all, you love taking your jet ski out on weekends and any other chance you can get. You don’t want to wake up one day and discover that your pride and joy has been taken by a less than desirable individual.

1. Lock it in the garage

The best place to safely store your jet ski is at your home in the garage. This is by far the safest for the following reasons:

1. You can box it in with your car in front of it.
2. You’ll know where it is at all times.
3. Thieves are less likely to break in if you’re home.
4. It will just make you sleep better at night time.

Of course, you’ll need a good locking mechanism. I’ve written an entire guide on jet ski locks actually that will surely help you get something up to the job.

2. Store it off the trailer

Another thing you might wish to try is storing your jet ski off the trailer. This is because it will take more time for someone to get your ski back on to the trailer and make a quick get away.

People who want to steal your jet ski are opportunity seekers. They want something fast and easy but storing your jet ski on a homemade jet ski trolley is going to slow them down, so they will move on to their next victim.

3. Store it the Garage Nose-First

This relates well to slowing down a thief. Many jet ski users simply back their jet ski into the garage and they’re done. What I actually recommend is spinning your jet ski around 180 degrees.

This means that it will take an extra 20 seconds for someone to spin your ski around. That’s a bonus time that they could startle a sleeping dog to their presence. Some people also install a bird bell on the front drawbar which is hard to see.

4. Use a Friends House

If you don’t have a good spot at home to store your jet ski, then consider a friend’s garage. They might have the perfect spot which could be even closer to the local boat ramp.

I would make sure that your friend is able to provide a superior level of security. This could be in the form of a great K9 guard dog, better lighting or a security fence that stops people from getting onto their property.

5. Use a Self-Storage Facility

While not my 1st choice, a self-storage place already has excellent security. In fact, their business depends on having zero break-ins, so they have 24/7 monitoring security and often someone who lives there full-time to oversee everything.

The main downside here is the cleaning. They generally won’t let you wash your jet ski off after a hard day of riding, so you’ll need to stop at a gas station on the way home that has self-service facilities.

6. Boat Yard or Marina

A great option is a boatyard or often called a marina, depending on which country you reside. Some of these will store your jet ski on a pontoon so that you can totally avoid the need and expense to have a jet ski trailer. Neat! No more towing on the highways.

These also have wash down facilities. The main downside is that most of these boat yards don’t actually serve the personal watercraft market, so you’re less likely to find a floating pontoon that you can lease. Also, your jet ski can be seen more easily, unlike a storage shed where they can’t see what’s inside.

7. Take It To Work

Do you own your own business with a warehouse or shed? You could take it to work. Likewise, just use your staff parking area at an office if you can.

Some bosses might even let you take your jet ski and store it at work if you’re performing well. Be warned! They might want to go for a ride one day with you, as that beast is teasing them.

8. Additional Tips

Now storing your jet ski safely is taken care of, what else can you do to enhance the security of your jet ski?

To keep your jet ski safe, you can:

1. Get an alarm system hooked up
2. Install a jet ski tracking device
3. Get a hitch lock and tyre lock (not just one, but both!)
4. Make sure you have a good insurance policy
5. Engrave the inside of your jet ski
6. Use DataDot protection or another competitor
7. Keep your registration details in a safe place away from your PWC
8. Put on a graphics kit to make your PWC unique for others to spot

And of course, it goes without saying…keep the keys with you at all times! When someone goes into a dealership asking for a new set of keys, that instantly raises suspicions. Some people forget and still leave their learner key in the front storage compartment. Bad idea!

Summary

You really need to be proactive when securing your jet ski. There are numerous ways to store it safely, and it shouldn’t just be a case of parking it casually in the garage.

People often leave their guard down when at home. You might go to the shops for 20 minutes only to return home to a missing jet ski, with much heartbreak too.

Keep that guard up and you’ll continue to have many more fun days out there on the water!