Contracts awarded as bay island ferry terminals get $37m upgrade

A Redland boat building company has won a lucrative contract to fit out four new ferry terminals for islands in southern Moreton Bay. SEE HOW THEY’LL LOOK

Bay island residents will soon be catching ferries from four new terminals after contracts were awarded for the $20 million first stage of the largest marine project undertaken along the Redland coast.

Sunshine Coast company The Jetty Specialist won the contract and will build and install the new terminals on the four bay islands of Macleay, Russell, Karragarra and Lamb.

Redland company Aluminium Marine won the contract to fit out the terminals which will include more seating, drinking fountains, more waiting areas with better weather protection and improved security with lighting and 24-hour video recording.

Aluminium Marine, based at Thornlands near Redlands Marina, specialises in high-speed catamarans for commercial operators and has built CityCats for the Brisbane River.

There will also be a new floating walkway for the Macleay Island boat ramp and existing ferry pontoons will be redesigned for recreational boating and fishing.

Detailed designs also show new toilets for the upgraded Russell and Macleay terminals and elaborate and colourful indigenous artwork sprayed across perforated screens at the terminals.

It is likely works will occur on more than one island at a time with expected completion in 2023.

Russell Island Development Association president Ian Olsson welcomed the news and said it had been a long time coming.

An artist’s impression of the Russell Island terminal.

An artist’s impression of the Karragarra Island terminal.

“Weinam Creek Terminal is not compliant for disabled people and won’t be upgraded at this time, which is disappointing.

“The announcement of a tender for Russell Island is welcomed but they could have spent a little more to make the new recreational pontoon disabled compliant.

“Because they are relocating it and using parts of the existing non-compliant ferry terminal, they think that that’s okay. I think it is an appalling oversight.”

Mr Olsson also said that he hoped there were plans in the designs to allow people to escape from the back of a ferry if needed.

The proposed terminal at Macleay Island.

Due to the scale of the project, contracts will be awarded in two stages with building the pontoons and putting down the slabs for jetties in the first phase.

Construction of the ferry terminals will be part of a second wave of contracts, due to be awarded this year.

Lamb Island will also get an upgrade.

Tenders for the first stage were open for five weeks and closed in October.

The project will cost a total of $37 million with the state government contributing $22 million and Redland City Council funding the rest.

The Jetty Specialist is a family-owned company which has delivered marine facilities across the state and in Redland.

The Jetty Specialist general manager Dane Morris said infrastructure was important for the southern Moreton Bay islands and local manufacturing.