Category: Daintree River Crossing Options

“Douglas Shire Council invites registration to receive expressions of interest documents, from suitably qualified Respondents, for the future supply of a new vessel and the provision of ferry services for the passenger and vehicular transport across the Daintree River in Far North Queensland.”

Amongst davits on the Daintree ferry and the vote of no confidence in Mayor Kerr, all cards were on the deck at yesterdays’ Council meeting where “hypocritical rhetoric”, “propaganda” and “deep-seated hostility” were mentioned amongst calls for greater transparency and more considered community representation….

A special Council meeting was held this morning Tuesday 9 August 2022, at 10am. Business conducted at the Special Council meeting was the Daintree Ferry crossing solution.

Douglas Shire Council met this morning and made some important decisions regarding the future of the Daintree ferry, and numerous other issues related to tourism strategies, waste management and water.

Why are there still long queues with no date for a solution? Instead this incompetent Council spent $4.5 million to buy the old ferry. This fiasco has wasted 18 months of time and resources when the previous and very competent Council would have had two ferries operating, and have solved the problem of the long wait times.

Douglas Shire Council have unanimously resolved to request the Chief Executive Officer, through the Audit Committee, to engage an independent probity auditor to analyse the ferry contract process to ensure public trust and understanding in the decision-making.

“Be very clear this all started over a year ago, from a Mayoral Minute that contained no cost-benefit analysis, no risk management, no back-up plans and no thought process as to what could occur…”

Douglas Shire Council yesterday awarded a multi-year ferry services tender for the Daintree River crossing to the Cairns-based tourism company.

What is happening to our election promises?

What about the Council pledge to ‘Do It In Douglas’?

Like many others, DSSG is disappointed that the situation has resulted in Douglas Shire Council purchasing the ferry – at considerable cost to ratepayers and possibly visitors.