The Daintree River Ferry will experience a number of service interruptions from Friday 13 May to Wednesday 18 May due to low tides and sand build up caused by recent flooding.
daintree ferry
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.
“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…”
“While the purchase price is significantly higher than the independent valuation of about $800,000, Councillors and I decided we were not willing to sacrifice the livelihoods of local business owners and residents.”
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.
Councillors have asked the CEO to provide critical final details for the Daintree River crossing options which will be tabled at a final Special Council Meeting early next week.
❝If it is to avoid being landed with no ferry at all post June 30, Council will have to buy, hire or contract a ferry or service in the next few weeks. ❞
Douglas Shire Council advises that dredging works to the Daintree River Ferry channel is occurring daily from 9.00pm to the early morning every day until Wednesday 31 March, 2021.