Kookaburra Queens parent company Gold Coast Boats forced into liquidation

The Gold Coast company that runs Brisbane’s well-known Kookaburra Queen boats has been forced into liquidation over reported unpaid staff superannuation, floods, eviction and battles with insurers over a collision.

The classic Kookaburra Queens will no longer sail Brisbane River after court proceedings on Friday forced the company into liquidation.

The company, Gold Coast Boats, reportedly left staff superannuation unpaid for years with some cases totalling more than $30,000.

Liquidators said they will investigate indemnifying debts by selling the assets of Gold Coast Boats including the The Kookaburra Queen paddle-wheelers currently moored in Murarrie.

In a steep downfall for the boats once used to promote Brisbane tourism, the closure followed a run of floods, eviction from their base at Eagle Street Pier and battles with insurers over a 2019 collision.

Four people were injured during the collision with an unknown object near the Story Bridge which caused the floor of the middle deck to buckle and a person on that deck to fall 2m onto the lap of another person in the toilet below.

Three people were transported to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital with minor injuries after the vessel safely returned to Eagle Street Pier.

Damage to the Kookaburra Queen after the 2019 floods.

Police on board (Bottom Left) and damage (First floor left) on the Kookaburra Queen Kookaburra Queen docked in Brisbane CBD after a collision. Thursday September 12, 2019. (AAP image, John Gass)

The boats were then evicted from the Eagle Street Pier after it was closed by the February floods and owners wanted to develop the site, forcing them to moor at Bretts Wharf.

The Kookaburra Queen has been a prominent boat on the Brisbane River for some time. The floods destroyed its original moorings at Eagle Street Pier, and now they've relocated to Bretts Wharf.

Since the eviction, customers have complained of being left out of pocket without refunds, and one woman claimed she was forced to reorganise her wedding.

“We invested money for our wedding that was booked with them (Kookaburra) in April,’’ she wrote on the company website.

“Unfortunately they think they won’t be refunding us, which was mentioned when they cancelled on us.’’

She later commented on the website: “Nine weeks since our wedding day, about 12-13 weeks since they cancelled on us, and still no contact, no refund.

“It’s very disappointing … especially when we had our wedding booked and cancelled a month out, with no refund.’’