NEW ERA: Biggest cruise boat on the Tweed setting sail

The 17m trimaran will be based at the wharf behind Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club, taking passengers up the Rous River as far as Condong.

A NEW chapter for tourism on the Tweed River is about to set sail, with the acquisition of a new vessel for Mount Warning Tours.

The 17m trimaran, formerly MV Redemption, will join the Spirit of Wollumbin and be based at the wharf behind Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club, taking passengers up the Rous River as far as Condong.

 

The latest addition to Mount Warning Tours is the new trimaran, Dream Catcher. Photo: RYAN FOWLER

 

Mount Warning Tours managing director Michael Simmons said the vessel had been operating on the Gold Coast for several years and for the past three months his company had been fulfilling holiday bookings already made before sailing it down to Tweed last weekend.

"This is a new era for Mount Warning Tours and to mark that we ran a naming campaign for the vessel through social media and got about 90 suggestions," Mr Simmons said.

"We decided on Dream Catcher, which is a great fit for us.

 

The latest addition to Mount Warning Tours is the new trimaran, Dream Catcher. Photo: RYAN FOWLER

 

"The new boat is licensed to carry up to 100 passengers with three crew and will allow us to meet the demand for event cruises and when tourist demand is high.

"Being a trimaran and also being jet powered, it has a very shallow draft, which will allow us to go up the Rouse River but due to its height we are limited to going as far as Condong."

Mr Simmons said the vessel would feature indigenous artwork by Tweed local Paul Craft as part of its rebranding and he was waiting on a changeover in liquor licensing from Queensland to NSW before Dream Catcher began plying the Tweed.

He said expanding the fleet was recognition of the growing tourism market.

"I will be attending the Australian Tourism Exchange in Melbourne in May, flying the flag for the Tweed," Mr Simmons said.

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