‘Stem the bleeding’: Ferries wait for restrictions to lift

Curtis Ferry Services has cut back operations due to a lack of passengers, while Heron trips will start again in June.

Heron Island.

FERRY services from Gladstone will be in full swing in the coming weeks for passengers travelling to Heron Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef.

But Curtis Ferry Services managing director Adam Balkin said travel restrictions had crippled his business, leaving him 75 per cent down on revenue last month.

“We are not as bad as some of the cafes and pubs and stuff that are 100 per cent down,” he said.

The Great Keppel Island Ferry begins operating this weekend after gaining government approval, but until restrictions are lifted people can only travel to Curtis and other inner islands.

Mr Balkin said no amount of approvals would help unless passenger numbers increased.

“We are not as restricted on our inner harbour transport service, which is still running, but we have dropped two services on Saturday to stem the bleeding,” he said.

“So we are still operating those services to Curtis Island and the other inner islands four days a week.

“We are waiting for all the offshore islands to open back up again to get our freight services up and running again to those islands.”

Current health restrictions have closed many islands on the southern Great Barrier Reef.

“Our offshore islands services to campgrounds are still closed under the rules but a lot of our guests come from outside of the 250km radius,” he said.

“We have a lot of people from Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and northern NSW that are booked in for trips this year.

“We probably won’t be back and operating again fully on those services until September.”

Heron Island sales manager Karen Sweeney said ferries would begin departing Gladstone on June 13.

To comply with COVID-19 regulations, Mrs Sweeney said the ferries would be equipped with a new thermal imaging infra-red camera, to test passengers’ temperatures.

“We have had a team over on the island since we closed, preparing to reopen,” she said.

“They have been maintaining, painting and servicing the boats.

“Now the focus is our COVIDSafe requirements.

“Our check-in team will be using the thermal imaging cameras to manage the flow of passengers.”

To ensure all passengers enjoy a safe streamlined service, Mrs Sweeney said a number of measures had been introduced.

“All of our departments are working on how we can reduce contact, sanitising stations and paperless check-in and check-out for guests.

“Everything will be organised when our first guests arrive.”