Barge to Moreton Island project back to square one after government backflip

Community-backed plans to re-establish a barge from Redcliffe to Moreton Island are back to square one just weeks after an operator was given the green light.

Plans to reintroduce a passenger barge service from Scarborough to Moreton Island are back to square one despite plans by a commercial operator being given the green light.

The Combie Trader II, which ran from Scarborough, folded in 2008 and residents have been calling for it to be reinstated ever since.

Plans to get it back up and running, along with funds to make it happen, have been floated by state and federal government candidates for just as long.

The State Government spent $400,000 on a business case study in 2017 to determine the best location for the barge service at Scarborough Harbour.

It found the most suitable spot was off the northern arm or the spit (just past Sea Salt and Vine Cafe) of Scarborough Boat Harbour.

The State Government has also set aside $4 million to go toward necessary infrastructure, which if built at Scarborough would include a sea wall.

The defunct Combie Trader II ferry service leaves Scarborough.

Despite multiple calls for a tender the State Government was unable to find an operator interested in running the service.

This is believed to be partly because of the millions of dollars the operator would have to fork out to dredge the site.

But in September 2020 local developer Josh Kindred put forward an idea to run the barge service from Newport Marina.

Mr Kindred purchased the marina in 2016 for $7.5 million.

He had initially hoped to build two 10-storey towers on the site. This plan was downgraded to a six-storey unit complex after a community backlash.

Mr Kindred then withdrew this application in July.

Through a new tender process, Mr Kindred lodged an application to build a barge landing point and service from the Newport Marina.

Mr Kindred said he had invested more than $200,000 in the application in the past 12 months. This including paying for engineering reports and having plans drawn up.

“We have done everything we can,” Mr Kindred said.

“We weren’t the only applicant, but we progressed to the final stage.

“They told us yes and that there was a clear pathway for us.”

Kindred Developments had planned to build a six storey unit complex at the Newport Marina. Image: Rothelowman

Mr Kindred said he hadn’t heard anything from the department for six weeks – then he got a note saying they were putting it back out to tender.

“They sent me an email asking me to reapply,” Mr Kindred said.

After pouring in so much time and resources Mr Kindred said he now was not sure if he would continue with the application process.

“We are just going around in circles,” he said.

In March this year Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the project had progressed after a successful expression of interest process.

“Late last year, we sought expressions of interest from proponents with demonstrated experience in developing, owning and operating a commercial barge service,” Mr Bailey told the Redcliffe Herald.

“Following an EOI invitation, we have successfully identified and short-listed proposals.”

The new tender process opened on November 5 and applicants have until January 14 to lodge submissions.

The tender states: “The State is seeking offers from appropriately qualified and experienced proponents with demonstrated experience in developing, owning and operating a commercial barge service and who are willing to establish a new service from a location on the Redcliffe Peninsula to Moreton Island (Mulgumpin).

“The State proposes to contribute up to $4 million towards enabling infrastructure relating to the development and implementation of a regular and reliable barge service to Moreton Island (Mulgumpin).”

The Department of Transport and Main Roads and State Labor MP for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath have been contacted for comment.