Water Assist
Not sure where to start with your water licence or approval enquiry?
Water Assist is an easy step-by-step tool to help you find the information and support you need for water licencing and approvals.
About controlled activity approval exemptions
Not all activities on waterfront land need a controlled activity approval. There are several exemptions under the Water Management (General) Regulation 2025 (the Regulation). To check if an exemption applies to your activity, use the controlled activity exemptions e-tool.
If your activity is exempt, you may still need to obtain other approvals required under relevant legislation. Contact the relevant local council.
If your activities are not exempt and take place on waterfront land, you need to apply for a controlled activity approval. You may also need to lodge an integrated development application which you can check with the relevant local council.
For more information about exemptions from controlled activity approvals see:
About the exemption e-tool
The exemption e-tool will help you:
- identify if an exemption applies to your proposed activity
- interpret the requirements and limitations of exemptions
- send you an email containing your answers and a result.
We recommend using this tool together with the waterfront land e-tool, which helps confirm if your activity is on waterfront land. You can also consult the maps below to identify areas exempt under section 64 and Schedule 4 of the Regulation.
How to use the e-tool
- The e-tool will ask you a series of multiple-choice questions.
- Based on your answers, the tool will determine if an approval is needed.
- You will receive the results by email.
Keep a copy of the results in case the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) requests evidence in the future.
Maps of exempt waterfront land
These maps define the waterfront land that is exempt from a controlled activity approval under section 64 and Schedule 4 (section 55) of the Regulation. Copies of these maps are also provided within the exemption e-tool.
Disclaimer
This e-tool only applies to controlled activities on waterfront land and does not apply to water access licences or water supply work and/or water use approvals.
Please read the disclaimer in the e-tool carefully before commencing any work on waterfront land.
The maps listed above define the areas of waterfront land that are exempt from a controlled activity approval under section 64 and Schedule 4 (section 55) of the Regulation. Copies of these maps are also provided within the controlled activity approval exemption e-tool.
The report generated by the e-tool cannot be used as an approval to undertake work on waterfront land or evidence of compliance with the Water Management Act 2000. You need to obtain relevant approvals under this Act and other relevant legislation.
The e-tool is recommended for people who are familiar with environmental assessment. The results produced by this e-tool, and any statements and information you referred to when using the e-tool, should be verified by professional advisers.