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Become a member today. VMR 448 Mackay provides Search and Rescue operations, waterside assistance and marine radio monitoring. Find out more about our services.

Terms and Conditions

1) Application for Membership: I hereby apply for membership for the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Mackay Inc. and understand and acknowledge the following terms and conditions. Membership covers the individual not the boat. The members can provide details of all vessels within their ownership to assist in identifying the member’s property.

2) VMR Mackay Inc: Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay Incorporated ABN: 20 572 944 700 registered from 1st November 1999. is a Not-for-profit organisation registered under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) and registered for GST. VMR Mackay Inc. is governed by the VMR Mackay Constitution. 

3) Membership Fee: $85.00 AUD for 12 calendar months from the date of renewal or new application date and must be renewed within 90 days of expiry date to remain a financial member. If membership renewal payment falls after the 90 days of coverage from the expiry date, the membership is considered a new membership in terms of joining date with VMR Mackay Inc.

4) Membership Approval: All applications are subject to approval by the Management Committee and maybe refused. Payment must be received in full before the membership status is considered financial. If payment has not been received within 90 days of the expiry date, the membership is considered as a non-financial member for the purposes of determining responsibility and obligations under these terms and conditions.

5) Non-Member: If application for membership with VMR Mackay Inc. has not be completed or membership has expired these terms and conditions will be applicable where stated otherwise, within these terms and conditions.

6) Area of Operations: All offshore areas south to the Percy Islands, north to Lindeman Island and out to the Great Barrier Reef within the longitudinal lines of the above-mentioned limits. These limits are discretional if negotiated with VMR Mackay Inc. and consideration from the neighbouring volunteer marine rescue organisation/s if within their operational jurisdiction.  VMR Mackay Inc. reserves the right to decline services if operating/environmental conditions are deemed unsafe be means of a risk assessment. This will be at the discretion of the duty skipper and/or VMR president/vice president. 

7) Services: Services provided consist of waterside assistance for towing (breakdowns or run out of fuel), soft groundings, medical emergencies and activation by emergency service organisations. 

8) Activation: A request for services via any means of communication with VMR Mackay Inc. (Duty Skipper, Radio Room Operator, or Management committee member) is considered a direct request for assistance and is obligated to fulfil payment of the applicable activation charges in full.

9) Duty Skipper: Is the skipper appointed by VMR Mackay Inc. in charge of the activation. 

10) Operational Cost: Is the total fuel consumed by the activated rescue vessel/s for the specific activation date and time and charged at the equivalent rate of the fuel pump price at which the fuel is sourced and invoiced to VMR Mackay Inc.

11) Additional Cost: Parts or supplies provided as requested by the person that initiated the activation will be at an additional cost to the operational charges as per the invoiced price of the item provided.  

12) Activation Charges: 

VMR Mackay Inc.¿ Financial Membership: If the person who initiates the activation has a VMR Mackay Inc. membership status of financial, the operational cost of the activation will be charged at a rate of 100% of the operational cost. 

VMR Mackay Inc. Non-Member/Non-financial Membership:  If the person who initiates the activation has a membership status of non-financial or not a member of VMR Mackay, an activation fee of $100 per activation plus the operational cost of the activation will be charged at a rate of 200% of the operational cost for the calculation of the activation charges and invoiced to the person who initiated the activation.

Commercial Vessel engaged in commercial operations: If the vessel is a commercial operator engaged in commercial operations initiating the activation, the membership status of the initiating person will not be considered for calculation of activation charges.  An activation fee of $100 per activation plus the operational cost of the activation will be charged at a rate of 300% of the operational cost for the calculation of the activation charges and invoiced to the person/company who initiated the activation

13) Conditions of Activation: In the event of waterside assistance resulting in towing, VMR Mackay Inc. will tow the vessel to its point of departure that day if within the operational area of VMR Mackay Inc. or the nearest safe harbour, whichever the Duty Skipper deems appropriate on the day.  Harbour to harbour tows for maintenance or repairs are not covered and are classed as commercial operations. The primary role and obligation of VMR Mackay Inc. is preservation of life at sea by the means of rescue operations. Recovery of property at sea is secondary to VMR Mackay Inc. obligations and will only be completed at the discretion of the duty skipper in charge of the activation if a risk assessment of the conditions deems it safe to perform recovery operations. 

14) Privacy Policy: VMR Mackay acknowledges and respects the privacy of individuals. We advise that the information provided is 'personal information' as defined by the Privacy and Personal Information Act 1998 (the "Act").  This information is being collected for the purposes of processing a membership to VMR Mackay, for the use on occasions when assistance is requested from VMR Mackay Inc.  The provisions of the information is voluntary, but if this information is not provided, VMR Mackay may be unable to process a membership or otherwise provide details to the Water Police if an incident occurs. A member has the right of access to, and alterations of, personal information concerning themselves in accordance with the Act.

15) Reciprocal Rights: As of the valid date of these terms and conditions there are no reciprocal rights with any other Volunteer Marine Rescue organisation including Volunteer Coast Guard within Australia. If a future agreement for reciprocal rights is settled upon with other Marine Rescue bodies an appendix to these terms and conditions will be issued to all financial members of the reciprocal rights agreement.

16) Terms and Conditions Validity: The VMR Mackay Inc. Membership Terms and Conditions as contained above are valid from 1st May 2022.