DIT refuses to recover sunken River Murray ferry because ‘ownership has not been determined’

A ferry that sank in the Murray three years ago will not be recovered because a government department cannot work out who it belongs to, amid claims it’s leaking oil and a threat to health.

The Plover ferry that sank in the River Murray in 2022. Picture: Supplied

A ferry that sank in the River Murray three years ago will not be recovered because SA’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport cannot work out who owns it.

Dallas Wilsdon, who lives at Younghusband on the river, said he had come to an arrangement with acquaintance Philip Rollond, who he understood to be the owner of the ferry, that the vessel could be temporarily moored on the section of river at the back of his property.

But after the ferry sank in February 2022, Mr Rollond claimed he did not own the ferry so could not be held responsible for removing it from the riverbed.

Mr Wilsdon has spent the subsequent years locked in a battle with DIT over removal of the vessel, which had been owned by the department before being sold at auction.

He said the department initially told him it was satisfied that the ferry owner was taking steps to rectify the situation and that DIT would remain in contact with him to monitor progress.

But he has now been told the ferry will be left indefinitely at the bottom of the river – a decision that has frustrated him.

“If this was addressed back in 2022 when the issue could have been resolved, we would not have an ex-DIT ferry sitting a couple of metres below the water, impacting my property, health and leasing ability whilst posing an ongoing safety, environmental and boating hazard for river users,” Mr Wilsdon said in a letter last year.

“Placing a couple of DIT safety buoys around it does not solve the problem.

“DIT managers have refused to answer questions regarding responsibility of ownership, ongoing safety, and despite many requests have not answered who is actually responsible should a water accident occur.”

Mr Wilsdon said the ferry had been leaking oil into the river and posed a safety hazard.

A DIT spokeswoman said, under state law, the department had no authority to remove the sunken ferry from the water because “ownership has not been determined”.

She said the department had no record of the ferry ever being registered for recreational use, and it had been told a private arrangement had been negotiated between Mr Wilsdon and Mr Rollond to temporarily moor the ferry.

“Following consultation with the Environment Protection Authority and the Department for Environment and Water, we will not be removing the ferry from the river,” she said.

“The wreck location has been inspected more than 10 times during routine and targeted patrols, and no pollution has been found in the water or on the riverbed.

“The sunken ferry, which is not fitted with propulsion engines, is marked with a buoy and does not pose a risk to safe navigation or the environment in its current location.”

She said the department will continue to monitor the site to ensure the navigational aids are in the correct position.

Mr Rollond has been contacted for comment.