Celebrating 20 fun-filled years in their dream job
'Not many people can go snorkelling every day and see the beautiful sandy beaches'
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THEY'VE trumped through the closure of Great Keppel Island Resort and made it through the end.
Wharfed out of Rosslyn Bay Harbour, the Allen family are celebrating 20 years of business this month for Freedom Fast Cats.
THE BEGINNING
The Allen family was operating charter boats out of Gladstone when they came up with the idea of a Freedom Flyer boat to Great Keppel Island.
Max Allen senior explained GKI Resort wanted their own "personal boat to bring their own guests over”.
So it began from there.
"We were just feeling it at the time... give it a go for a year...see what it was about, see what kind of response we got,” Max Allen junior said.
"We ended up getting a lot of locals coming over to the island... we made it a way that was quite free and friendly to the island.”
EXPANSION
A year later, they bought another boat.
This was the Freedom Adventurer and soon after came the Freedom of the Isles, a catamaran.
Then, Keppel Tour Services - a main competitor decided to sell up, and they bought that, shifting their business to Pier One.
"We needed wharf space and continued on from there,” Mr Allen senior said.
Over the years they continued to build their portfolio, adding more boats.
They bought one of the resort's glass bottom boats and started to do cruises which was going quite well
"I didn't look that far ahead at this stage... when we acquired the second and third boat it was good.. then the closure,” Max Allen senior said.
THE CLOSURE
The closure of the GKI Resort was a big blow to the growing business.
"We had to look at another plan from that... so we went with the full day cruise to try and keep the same crew we had,” Max Allen junior said.
"Last couple of years has been down with tourism on the island because of the closure of the resort,” Max Allen senior added.
"It was devastating when the main resort had closed for us but we have managed quite well.”
SURVIVING THE DOWNFALL
Before the resort closed, they had a boat, The Freedom Monarch built in 2010, specifically for resort guests.
With no guests to use it, they had to look at other avenues of income
"Any job we heard we took advantage as much as we can,” Max Allen junior said.
"If we just use one boat and the others aren't working... it costs money just sitting there.”
In what could potentially be described as their saviour in surviving the tourism downturn, they got a contract with Bechtel in Gladstone doing the workers transfers to Curtis Island.
That contract ended two years ago and they took up a new contract with Rio Tinto on Amberely River at Weipa.
"It supported our business here... if it wasn't those outside jobs we did we possibly wouldn't be here today... It has really helped us,” Max Allen senior said.
TODAY'S SUCCESS
The family business has five ferries and two glass bottom boats nowadays.
The Freedom Sovereign seats 300, The Freedom Adventurer seats 230, and the Freedom Flyers fits 180 passengers. They also have the Wild Duck, the water taxi.
Tourism has started to pick up with the island becoming more popular.
"We are building the business up.... now the last few years it has started to build a bit more... next thing it's been 20 years,” Max Allen junior said.
BOATS IN THE BLOOD
Island life and boats are in the Allen family blood.
Max Allen senior's father, Lew Allen, built the first resort on Quoin Island, off the shores of Gladstone.
"We've been island life... building boats all my life,” Max Allen senior said.
It was here the name "Freedom” began.
Lew's first ferry was Freedom 1, and this began the journey over 25 and counting vessels being named in the Freedom name by the Allen family.
Max Allen senior had his own business, Max Allen Cruises, doing charter boats all over the country.
While Max Allen junior grew up in Gladstone, he spent his childhood on the boats.
"He used to travel all over from New Guinea down to Melbourne to Lord Howe Island doing charter boats and when he wanted to settle down he started this ferry to GKI,” Max Allen senior said.
UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES
Over the years, they have seen many celebrities, footy players and cricket stars grace the boats including the Broncos team, Greg Norman, Bill & Kasey Chambers, Pete Murray, Christine Anu, QLD NRL Origin Team, Matt Moran and Joh Griggs
They have been involved with more weddings, birthdays and celebrations than they can count.
Back in the day, trips to Pumpkin Island have also been magical.
"We share a lot of travellers experiences... they are seeing a fantastic part of our region and that's what we love,” Max Allen junior said.
INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS
They have a lot of repeat business from locals but there are also crowds of tourists.
The ferries have been popular lately with German, Japanese and Chinese tourists.
"A lot of our work is just with the cruises with the BBQ, boom netting, snorkelling,... that's been a tremendous boost for us,” Max Allen senior said.
"A lot of them are absolutely amazed at being able to swim alongside the turtles and the colour of the water... the sand.
"They send us Christmas cards and say see you next year.”
LOOKING AHEAD
The Allen family are rooting for the redevelopment of the resort and hope to see tourists flocking back to the island.
"The increase in tourism will show we will have more trips to the island,” Max Allen junior said.
"Hopefully with the new owners on the island... if it goes ahead it will be good... everyone in the whole region needs that go ahead,” Max Allen senior said.
Another development they would like to see is cruise ships come to the harbour.
"Be great to see cruise shops pull in our backyard here and explore our Capricorn region... there's a lot to do here... Capricorn Caves, Cooberrie Park, Koorana Crocodile Farm... the cattle and the barra... we have it all here... that's why I stay here, everything is on our doorstep,” Max Allen junior said.
And there is plenty to choose from with the Keppel Islands.
"We have 17 of them... if one is too busy you can always go to another and have your peace and quiet,” Max Allen junior said.
"We look forward to taking people to the islands and sharing the experience, showing them underwater.”
"We love Yeppoon and Keppel Island..... Being a charter boat operator I always felt the Keppels is one of the best...we have the beautiful islands, coral reefs, it's a great island... We hope to be here for quite a few years longer,” Max Allen senior said.
"A lot of people say to me this must be a good job and I say this is my retirement holiday... Not many people can go snorkelling every day and see the beautiful sandy beaches.”
The Allen family would like to thank all of their customers, supporting business, agents and Capricorn Enterprise for all of their support over the years.
FREEDOM FAST CATS
Whale watching
Adventure cruises
Glass bottom boat tours
Combo cruises
Coral lunch cruises
Charter hire
Island transfers
Ferriers from Pier One, John Howes Drive
Rosslyn Bay Harbour
Phone 4933 6888
Originally published as Celebrating 20 fun-filled years in their dream job
ASIC prepares to bet it all on casino legal fight
The regulator’s blockbuster action against the casino’s former directors is about to start. And the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Inside new mission to return dilapidated Qld resorts to glory days
A Queensland MP and mayor are Japan-bound for face-to-face talks with the Iwasaki boss over stalled plans for the once-grand Capricorn Resort with a stop also planned in China over the future of another Great Barrier Reef gem.