A Tasmanian coroner has recommended a ban on some water sports on the Prosser River at Orford after the death of a seven-year-old boy in a boating accident two years ago.
Archie Green died from head injuries after he was ejected from an inflatable device — known as a "ski biscuit" — on the Prosser River at Orford in February 2020.
A 43-year-old man, identified in the findings as Mr W, was towing both Archie and his younger brother on the back of a boat when he suddenly lost control during a turn.
Archie was flung off the tube and onto rocks.
He was rushed to the Royal Hobart Hospital but died shortly afterwards.
Coroner Robert Webster concluded that the area of the accident was "an inherently dangerous place to undertake water skiing, knee-boarding and ski-biscuiting activities".
"I acknowledge it has been common practice, over the years, for these water sports to be conducted on this part of the river, however, its narrow width, the rocky composition of the river banks and the shared nature of the waterway all lead to the likelihood of an increased risk of injury and/or death."
The inquiry found the boat was travelling at a speed of 30kph or 16 knots, "well in excess" of the recommended five knots in surrounding areas.
As well as the water sport bans on that section, he recommended implementing maximum speed limits of five knots (9.26kph) on the Prosser.
"The speed at which people are towed should be commensurate with the age and experience of the person being towed."
Age limit recommended for spotters
At the time of the accident, Mr W's 11-year-old daughter acted as the spotter of the ski biscuit, a position that allows the driver to concentrate on navigating the boat.
Under current Tasmanian laws, the minimum age for an observer is 10 years old.
He suggested raising the minimum age of the observer to 16 years old, as stipulated in South Australia and New South Wales.
Mr Webster found it was the first time Archie or his brother had ever been on a boat or a ski biscuit and that the only instruction the boys were given was to raise their hand if they wanted to boat to slow down or stop.
He said future tragedies could be avoided by simple, commonsense precautions.
"Pilots should always drive their boat in an anticlockwise direction and also make sure they are familiar with the by-laws and any signage in and around the area in which they are boating," he said.
It is not the first time a boating tragedy has occurred on the Prosser River.
In January 1990, a child being towed behind a boat driven by the child's father was ejected from a ski board onto rocks on the northern riverbank when the boat was making a sharp left turn.
The child later died from sustained head injuries.
The coroner who investigated the case made no recommendations.
