Three responses received, Council to determine future Daintree Ferry owner/operator business model

FERRY INTEREST

David Gardiner

Journalist

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A private operator is being sought to take the Daintree Ferry off Council’s hands. Picture: Daintree Ferry

Douglas Shire deputy mayor Roy Zammataro is pressing ahead with trying to get Council to find a private operator for the Daintree Ferry so that ratepayers are relieved of the ferry’s ongoing financial burden.

The transfer of the ferry back into private hands has for some years been a key issue for Cr Zammataro, elected for the first time as deputy mayor after the local government election in March.

He told Newsport that since he put a motion about privatising the ferry to Council just under a year ago, there has been some progress.

“There have been some interested parties, that’s as far as we’ve gone; we don’t know any more as yet,” Cr Zammataro said a short time ago.

The deputy mayor told us that besides the ongoing financial burden to ratepayers, the other main key issue was reducing wait times which he added, could only be addressed if the road accesses on either side of the Daintree River were widened at both terminals.

“The issue is that we’re trying to get the wait time cut down by a lot,” he said.

“That’s going to depend on the infrastructure of the road. If we can get four lanes in, two lanes either side, that’ll determine what size the ferry has to be really.”

He believes he has the support of Council to conduct the road improvements, and hopes funding grants from the state government will be forthcoming to help Council do the necessary roadworks.

“As it stands we’re committed to going ahead with the infrastructure as it is now,” he told Newsport.

“The biggest issue with the wait times is the locals having to wait, that’s the problem. Tourists don’t seem to mind. But locals having to go over and even tradesmen – they have to go over to do some work and have to wait a half hour or even an hour.”

Mayor confirms expressions of interest

We contacted Douglas Shire Council for the latest on the move towards privatising the Daintree Ferry and a short time ago, received confirmation from the Mayor about the expressions of interest:

“Council sought EOI (expressions of interest) and received three responses,” Mayor Lisa Scomazzon told Newsport.

“The matter will be brought before Council’s elected members in the coming months,” she added.

“They will decide the best owner/operator business model that suits our ongoing commitment to residents of the Daintree, tourism operators, tourists and locals utilising the ferry service.”

Ferry a “financial disaster”

In the months leading up to the March Council elections, Cr Zammataro had included the ferry privatisation as one of his main re-election platforms.

Regarding the ferry’s financial drain, in July last year he told Newsport Editor Michael Warren: “When it was in control of a private contractor, Council were making close to $1M a year profit on it, now any profit that is made is going to be used on maintenance,” he said at the time.

“It’s an (ongoing) financial disaster for Council and for the Shire really.”

While owned by Douglas Shire Council, the Daintree Ferry is operated by TNQ Transport Services.

The current, three-lane vessel can take around 27 standard vehicles at a time but there have been debates at Council about a future, wider ferry having possibly four lanes.

The north side Daintree Ferry terminal. Cr Zammataro said lanes need to be widened on both sides of the river. Picture: DSC

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