BUSINESS FEATURE

From the moment I received an early‑morning call from the CEO alerting me that the Daintree Ferry had broken free of its mooring, Council has been working around the clock to help, inform, repair and recover from what has been a very challenging period of the wet season.

March has tested our region in ways few of us expected. First came the impacts of 29U, when rising floodwaters dislodged a pontoon and tour boat which impacted and damaged the ferry and cut off our northern communities. On 15 March, monsoonal rain swept across the shire, saturating an already fragile landscape, and last week Tropical Cyclone Narelle brought another burst of heavy rain and renewed flooding concerns.

Throughout these events, Council teams have been out every day assessing roads, clearing debris, restoring access and supporting isolated residents. The retrieval and repair of the Daintree Ferry has been a major focus. Engineering assessments, cable replacement, debris removal and permit applications have all been progressing at pace because we know how vital this connection is for the community and the local economy.

A few weeks ago, Member for Cook David Kempton and I flew by helicopter into the Daintree to meet with residents and businesses. Their concerns were clear and deeply felt: the loss of tourism activity, the risk of seasonal workers leaving, pressure on supplies and the uncertainty of how long isolation would last. Those conversations have stayed with me. They reinforce why restoring ferry operations safely and swiftly — and continuing resupply runs — remain our priorities.

We now have a dedicated recovery team working closely with service providers to ensure residents and businesses can access the support they need, whether that’s funding, counselling, grants or loans. The temporary passenger ferry is also allowing Daintree residents to keep their fridges and pantries stocked, while we’ve been providing regular community updates so people know exactly what is happening and when.