Larger, privately run ferry for Daintree River crossing

Daintree River Ferry

Bryan Littlely

Journalist

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The Daintree River Ferry crossing will feature a larger, privately run ferry. Picture: Tourism Tropical North Queensland

A new Daintree River Ferry will be privately owned and operated, with predictions that the larger vessel, along with new landside infrastructure for loading and unloading, will dramatically reduce waiting times for passengers.

The decision to outsource the ferry service, which is vital for tourists and residents north of the river, was confirmed during a Special Council Meeting held on Tuesday, October 8.

Council will now tender to the market for a contractor to design, construct and deliver the new vessel, as well as operate the ferry service under an initial agreement of at least 15 years.

To ensure the continuation of the ferry service, the Council aims to replace the existing vessel, which is at the end of its asset life, by no later than November 2027.

The new ferry will feature four lanes, compared to the current vessel’s three lanes, improving efficiency for queue lengths and waiting times by 90 per cent.

Douglas Shire Mayor, Lisa Scomazzon was happy the project was moving forward.

“I would like to say a big thank you to the staff for all their hard work that has been put into this project,’’ she said.

“I am happy we are moving forward for our community, and I am quite excited to see what the new ferry is going to look like.”

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