Revealed: How the Gold Coast will its expand its ferry service to the north of the city

We’ve got all this water, why aren’t we using it – it’s the question that’s been asked for decades. But now the Coast’s ferry trial is set to get much bigger.

THE Gold Coast’s ferry service has the green light to get much bigger, linking with the city’s northern Broadwater suburbs.

City councillors debated in a closed session at a transport committee meeting on Tuesday a new report on the trial which started in December 2019, after ferries were first proposed on the city’s waterways two decades earlier.

The feedback after such a long wait has been positive.

Aerial shots of the new Gold Coast ferry service. Picture: Supplied.

Councillors in an open session could not talk about the report because it involved commercial contracts, but they have supported a new study to be completed in early 2022 “in relation to future possible future contract negotiations for council’s endorsement”.

They want a better link-up of the ferries with trams and buses on a east-west routes in the city and more promotion of positive comments by residents and tourists about the service.

But the clear indication of council’s plans was backing for a “network expansion to the north, south and west”.

The ferries in the trial currently stop at five waterfront precincts — Surfers Paradise’s Appel Park, HOTA, Marina Mirage, Sea World and the Broadwater Parklands.

A round trip takes about an hour and costs $25. A one-stop fare is $4.

Cr Vorster in open session told chamber: “The ferry trial that has been running on the Coast has been warmly received not just by locals but visitors. As a council we are keen to ensure that a ferry service remains part of our transport and tourism mix in the city.

“In order to support the continuation of that service as a committee and hopefully as a council I’d like to ensure that service is properly integrated into our broader public transport network, and leverages the opportunities from being on the doorstep of high frequency bus services and our tram service.”

The Gold Coast ferry service. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Cr Vorster said support from council for the latest report would “signal to the market that we had an appetite to do more”.

Cr Cameron Caldwell said he had pushed for expansion of the service in the city’s north.

“There’s been a lot of community interest in relation to the trial. I know that in the northern part of our city, from Labrador, Biggera Waters, Hollywell and Paradise Point – they are interested in those services expanding to the north,” he said.

Mayor Tom Tate looks at the new ferry service at the Broadwater Parklands stop. Picture Glenn Hampson.

“If it is going to be an integral and meaningful part of the transport network, or tourism network into the future, it has go beyond the golden triangle of Appel Park, HOTA and Broadwater Parklands.

“I think Gold Coasters say “we have all that water, why aren’t we using it”. In time there will probably be a report that’s more open and available for the public to understand the behind the scenes limitations and difficulties. But I think this is a very positive step forward.”

The two year trial is part of council’s 2031 Transport Strategy.

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