SeaLink NT: Cox Peninsula locals furious at ferry disruption as fires disrupt road route

After Cox Peninsula locals were forced to battle cancelled ferries and multiple bushfires, SeaLink has confirmed limited services will resume from Monday.

After being forced to take the road to and from Darwin, Cox Peninsula locals were further delayed when fires disrupted their route. Source: Wagait Beach Community.

Limited Mandorah ferry services will resume on Monday, bringing some reprieve to Cox Peninsula locals stranded by a mix of maintenance and bushfire woes.

In a statement, SeaLink said it had successfully sourced two vessels which would run from Monday morning through to Wednesday.

Both boats will operate on the same schedule, providing a maximum of 42 seats per service.

“Unaccompanied school children will have priority on the 7.20am service from Mandorah and the 3pm from Cullen Bay,” a spokeswoman said.

“Due to limited space, we ask that no animals are brought on board.

“We please ask that customers continue to treat our team with respect while we try and minimise the impact of this unplanned work as much as possible.

“We will keep customers informed via our website.”

It comes after commuters were told on Thursday evening by SeaLink – with just 24 hours notice – that their usual 15-minute ride would be unavailable for almost a week due to “essential maintenance” of ferry the Tommy Lyons.

The replacement bus service was then hit with further delays when multiple fires tore across their only road home.

Within hours of the new arrangement, the replacement buses - meant to take up to two hours - came to a halt along Cox Peninsula Rd, as multiple fires cut off the route.

September 14: After their ferry ride across Darwin Harbour was cancelled by SeaLink on short notice and replaced by bus transport, Cox Peninsula locals were hit with further delays when multiple fires tore across their only road home.

The unfortunate delay comes after Peninsula residents were told on Thursday evening by SeaLink – with just 24 hours notice – that their usual 15-minute ride would be unavailable for almost a week due to “essential maintenance” of ferry the Tommy Lyons.

The company in a statement said they had organised a bus to transport residents instead.

The replacement bus ride would take up to two hours each way.

But within hours of the new arrangement a long queue of vehicles were brought to a halt along Cox Peninsula Rd, as multiple fires cut off the route.

The NT Incident map showed Cox Peninsula Road was affected by multiple fires prior to the weekend. Source: NT Incident Map.

The long line of angry commuters, already disrupted by the new travel arrangement, could only watch on as fire crews worked hard to quash the flames and reopen the road.

Online, Wagait residents bemoaned the added hassle.

“Great, no ferry and now this,” one man said.

“You can’t make this s--t up,” another commented.

Cars pull off the road as fire crews battle a fire along Cox Peninsula Rd on Friday night. Source: Wagait Beach Community.

While the roads were reopened about 6pm, Bushfires NT urged drivers to exercise caution.

“Fire crews will remain in the area for some time to contain the fire. Smoke may continue to impact the area overnight.”

Adding to their frustration, locals learned on Friday evening that SeaLink Northern Territory had organised a 17-seat alternative ferry for the weekend.

“For Saturday and Sunday, a 17-seat vessel, the Moresby, will be providing ferry services,” a SeaLink statement read.

“Due to limited space, we ask that no animals are brought on-board.”

The traffic along Cox Peninsula Rd was dozens of cars deep. Source: Wagait Beach Community.

However, next week’s timetable remains unclear, with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s arrangements yet to be announced.

SeaLink reassured Mandorah customers they would not be disadvantaged by the “unplanned” maintenance to the Tommy Lyons.

“(For) Mandorah customers holding weekly, fortnightly, and 30-day tickets, we will extend expiry dates by a week for the unavoidable inconvenience,” the statement read.

“We please ask that customers continue to treat our team with respect while we try and minimise the impact of this unplanned work as much as possible.”

But still locals hit out at the update.

“Again? Why can’t you sort this s--t out before everyone has turned their lives upside down to make other plans,” one woman said.

Another bemoaned the 17-seat capacity of the smaller, replacement vessel.

“Community pressure has worked to a degree. Still, there needs to be answers and compensation to locals for this ridiculous s--t show,” they said.

“The time, energy, loss of work hours, anxiety and stress due to the constant changing of information is truly mind blowing,” another said.

Peninsula locals’ fury as SeaLink gives 24 hours notice of ferry shutdown

Initial, September 14: Cox Peninsula locals have vented their frustrations online after ferry provider SeaLink gave them only 24 hours’ notice the regular ferry service would be replaced by buses between Friday and Wednesday evenings due to maintenance on its vessel.

SeaLink published a notice to its website and Facebook on Thursday evening announcing its Mandorah ferry, the Tommy Lyons, would be undergoing “essential maintenance” and be out of action for six days.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this will cause,” SeaLink said in the notice.

“All efforts have been made, however, we have been unable to source a replacement vessel.”

People holding weekly, fortnightly, and 30-day tickets would have expiry dates extended by a week for the “unavoidable disruption”.

A 24-seater replacement ferry will operate on Friday until its last service departs Mandorah at 4.20pm, before being replaced by a bus for the rest of the evening.

From Friday 5pm to Wednesday 6pm, when the Tommy Lyons is expected to return, buses will be the sole method of public transport between Darwin and the Cox Peninsula – a drive of up to two hours each way, as opposed to a 15-minute ferry ride.

By Friday 10.30am, SeaLink was yet to update its website with confirmation of the bus timetable for the Darwin–Mandorah replacement services from Saturday onwards.

In a statement issued to this masthead, SeaLink said it had “exhausted all options” in securing a replacement for Tommy Lyons, but that they would continue to search in a bid to prevent customers having to take the bus.

“This outage was unplanned and therefore unavoidable,” the company said.

“We please ask that customers treat our team with respect while we try and minimise the impact of this unplanned work as much as possible.”

It’s understood the monopolisation of vessels by naval exercise Operation Kakadu, Tommy King’s 17 hours a day, seven days a week schedule, and the unpredictable nature of slipway availability to Darwin all contributed to the lack of prior notice and replacement ferry.

Online, locals reacted with fury at what they viewed as incompetence by the marine transport operator and a lack of prior consultation.

“In the 30-plus years my family have lived in Wagait, there’s no precedent for a service interruption of this duration,” one woman said.

“The closest always being due to weather events (cyclone conditions).

“SeaLink have brought a lot of benefits to our community, but this is a significant failure in risk mitigation.”

One man asked why a replacement vessel was “not found and booked well in advance”.

“Terrible timing, as kids still have one week left of school some even doing their final exams for year 12,” he said.

“They do not need this external pressure added to them.”

A second man was scathing in his criticisms.

Another SeaLink vessel, the Tiwi Mantawi, docked at the Frances Bay Mooring, commonly called the Duck Pond, following a fire in the engine room on Friday, August 16, 2024. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Shame on SeaLink, we get one day notice, what about doctors appointments and other important appointments?” he asked.

“[A] multimillion dollar company, piss poor, shame.”

Another said simply: “This is $&@:!”

Last month, SeaLink was forced to source a replacement vessel to operate its Darwin–Tiwi route when its usual ferry, the Tiwi Mantawi, caught on fire after it was believed to have suffered a “mechanical failure” in its engine room.

One hundred and eighty-four passengers were emergency evacuated, and an investigation by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and NT WorkSafe launched.

Originally published as SeaLink NT: Cox Peninsula locals furious at ferry disruption as fires disrupt road route