Advisory groups are still formed after major decisions are made and are still toothless tigers. The ferry and road reference group, now merged, are mostly places for people to vent, rather than places where community input can influence major change. That's why they are done late in the process. It gives an illusion of community involvement.

Look at Cr Noli's recent post about the old Port to Mossman train line. It will be a bike path because funding is available for that. That's like picking low hanging green mangos because they are easy to reach. Probably they will form an advisory group after the decision is made and no other uses will arise.

The Wangetti Trail Advisory group terms clearly states they can't change anything. What a waste of time. Waffle with tea and biscuits.

We hope Noah Bridge will be constructed next year. But we have been told that pretty much every year since 2019. The bridge, manufactured in April 2019 ,recently made a cameo in the DSC water security video. It's still resting peacefully at Drumsara. In April it turns seven. 10 per cent of its lifespan is gone already.

A current road reference group member claims they still can't even be promised the temporary Noah's causeway during the build will be above high tide. Let alone whether it will survive a flood. Nobody north of that build has any confidence.
Despite many cheaper and faster methods to repair roads after Jasper, the decision was made and millions have been spent and there is still a landslide sitting on the road. I am sure the work being done is high quality, but there are other ways of dealing with the problem that are cheaper and quicker.

The road reference group became farcical when not only I but a DRFA staff member reported a suspension destroying hole on the little hill at Coopers. The yawning chasm of time it took to fix is shameful.

The roadsides here are still half done, because nobody here has heard of a hydraulic arm mower or brushcutter. Cairns seems to have.

We were told many times by DSC that one ferry would not speed up crossings, yet we are here in 2026 building one. Despite DSC having to pay extra in 2006 for the old ferry, they made the same mistake in 2021. Get ready for Groundhog Day in 2027. I will be very surprised if the landside roads or the new ferry are ready on time. History advises us they won't.

And as plainly shown in March 2026, there is no viable backup to get across if the ferry breaks.

History also tells us there will be no consequences for bureaucrats who preside over bridges being stored for seven years or ferries bought for four or five times their value. Thus the loss of the ferry on March 5 is bound to be a cover up and the DSC and Entrada will be lauded as heroes because it didn't end up on Saxon Reef. History will repeat, whether I write or not.

The new ferry contract itself is a secret squirrel but must be worth $100m. With landside at 10 million on top you could build a single lane bridge and still control access. But apparently blanketing the river in a fog of diesel fumes, queueing and digging holes in the riverbed is preferable. Go figure. Ideas from the 1980s prevail, a feature of government decisions here.

The lack of public consultation and forums around the pivot we must make now cane is gone is deplorable, by the time anyone wakes up Rainforest Rescue will own most of it. Some councillors want planning change, but it does not seem achievable. Bureaucrats control this too; Councillors are only there to take the fury of voters at election time.

I have also learned that if one publicly criticises bureaucrats there will be repercussions. My recent dealings have been so bizarre that I can only conclude I am a marked man. Perhaps there are consequences if you speak out?
Thus I am taking my own advice and getting back in my box.

I truly love the Shire and I don't think excessive banging on about things that won't change is the way to spend my later years. For the first time in ages I have bought a decent boat and my plan is to scare the local fish population with my extra spare time.

Thank you for reading my columns.

*Lawrence Mason has lived at Cape Tribulation all his life, and has been involved in farming, timber and tourism. He is a former board member of Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, founding Chair of Daintree Marketing Co-operative, and has been a member of both Alexandra Bay and Mossman State High School P&C. He is also a member of the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and has a keen interest in local issues.

• The opinions and views in this column are those of the author and author only and do not reflect the Newsport editor or staff.