Stradbroke Flyer owner says State Government’s $5.5m fast ferry dream a ‘load of croc’

A $5.5 million proposal to run fast ferries from Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves to Stradbroke Island has been canned as a load of croc from a mayor and a captain who runs ferries to the island.

A ferry captain to North Stradbroke Island says a 40-minute trip to Stradbroke Island from Brisbane is unrealistic and a load of croc.

A plan to run 40-minute ferries to North Stradbroke Island has been hailed as a pipe dream by a local mayor and a captain who frequently travels by boat to the island.

STRADDIE CAMPSITES EMPTY

ALBERT RIVER FERRY PLAN

Tourism Minister Kate Jones announced the $5.5 million proposal on the weekend, saying it would include three pontoons at Howard Smith Wharves, near the Story Bridge with ferries travelling to the island.

Straddie Flyer owner John Groom slammed the plan as “a load of croc”.

Stradbroke Flyer owner John Groom, who runs ferries to the island from Cleveland’s Toondah Harbour, said the 40-minute claim was “false advertising” and a “load of croc”.

“I’m all for new infrastructure but don’t let that get in the way of a pack of lies about the timing to the island from Brisbane,” he said.

“It is 35 nautical miles from Howard Smith Wharves and even flying along at 40 knots it would take an hour – and that’s with no hindrances on the river.

“No commercial vessel is allowed to do that in certain parts of the Brisbane River as their top allowable speed is 24.9 knots so 40 minutes is not feasible.”

Mr Groom said it was his company’s idea to run ferries from Brisbane about six years ago as a proposal to the island’s Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, which oversees tourism on the island.

“So it looks like they have decided to go with operators who offer these unrealistic deals which are impossible to meet,” Mr Groom said.

One Mile ferry terminal at Straddie was not mentioned as a possibility.

Redland City mayor Karen Williams said she was insulted that the state government launched its “unrealistic” 40-minute ferry plan but did not consult the local council.

She was backed up by the sitting state MP for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson, who said it was “a fake ferry”.

“I’m a little bit insulted firstly because we have been dealing with the government to build marine infrastructure on our islands for some time and it’s come at a great cost to our ratepayers,” she said.

“Forty minutes from Howard Smith Wharves to Amity Point or North Stradbroke Island — it’s like a scene from The Castle.

“Tell them they’re dreaming — I’ve done that trip and you can’t have fast vessels going down the river.

“You’d be lucky to get to the mouth of the river in forty minutes – let alone Amity, which by the way has no passenger terminal.”

Redland mayor Karen Williams was insulted that she was not consulted about the plan for a fast ferry to the island.

Cr Williams said a more realistic time frame would be about two hours, not 40 minutes, which she said would it would take to get to the mouth of the Brisbane River.

The idea also raised issues about parking and the lack of connection to buses both on the island at Amity Point and at Howard Smith.

“So where do the people who want to jump on a ferry to Straddie from Howard Wharf park?” asked Redland resident Junita Grosvenor.

“There’s only limited underground parking there and it’s very expensive. They really haven’t thought this through, have they?”