Daintree businesses concerned over Daintree Ferry service and stalled dredging

Far North businesses are becoming concerned with a council-owned ferry service amid fears dredging works are being left too late.

FAR North businesses are becoming increasingly concerned with a council-owned ferry service amid fears dredging works are being left too late.

Digging at the Daintree River ferry following the recent heavy rains has yet to be completed, with Cape Tribulation and Cairns businessmen holding their breath at the prospect of more temporary closures and delays.

Douglas Shire Council bought the service and equipment from Sirron Enterprises for an eye-watering $4.5m last year and handed its operation over to Cairns-based reef tour company Divers Den.

Cape Trib Connections owner Jeremy Forward is now questioning whether the Mossman-based council and its operators have the “expertise or experience” to maintain the transport link to the world’s oldest rainforest, amid a number of recent closures and a delay in dredging.

Cape Tribulation residents fear dredging works at the Daintree River ferry crossing are being left too late.

“I’m frustrated, the dredging should have been done by now,” Mr Forward said.

“They know absolutely zero, nothing about running a ferry on a river like the Daintree River. And my reading of it all is they have no one with the experience and ability to actually operate it.”

Mr Forward said he had written a letter to council wanting clarity on their maintenance program, after a number of recent temporary closures.

Cape Tribulation cafe owner Lawrence Mason said residents had been “kept in the dark” over the planned dredging works and feared time was running out before the mid-June low tides.

“They can’t even tell us who the new dredging contractor is,” Mr Mason said.

“There has certainly been no communication from council to us on when the dredging will start and whether they have got permits.”

The ferry crosses the Daintree River. Picture: Marc McCormack

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said council understood the impact an interruption to ferry services could have on businesses north of the river but couldn’t provide details on when digging would begin. He said the council had secured the permits required for the removal of silt at the ferry through the Department of Environment and Science.

“(Council) does its best to firstly avoid service interruptions, and if they are unavoidable, to notify the community as soon as practicably possible to allow people to plan,” he said.

“Council is working closely with the ferry operators and a local contractor to finalise arrangements for the removal of sand.”

Divers Den did not respond to requests for comment.

Originally published as Daintree businesses concerned over Daintree Ferry service and stalled dredging