Spirit of Tasmania on track for record year of passengers

The Spirit of Tasmania completed its first public passenger journey to Geelong on Sunday morning. So how does it compares to flying?

The Spirit of Tasmania is on track to exceed its best year for passengers on record, propped up by trip bookings on the newly established route between Geelong and Tasmania.

Ship operator TT-Line has taken a 30-year lease at Geelong Port and expects more than 470,000 passengers to travel in 2022-23.

It comes as the Spirit cruised into the new $135m quay from Devonport for the first time with public passengers on Sunday.

First official journey of the @SpiritofTas on its new route to Geelong now complete. @[e-mail]/wbmMo8KtVX

— Chad Van Estrop (@cvanestrop) October 22, 2022

More than 200 vehicles and about 480 passengers were on board, the majority in vehicles.

On Sunday, a return Qantas flight in November between Devonport and Melbourne airport was priced at about $900.

A return trip in November on the Spirit between Geelong and Devonport, taking a car and staying in a private twin-cabin, was set at just over $1000.

The Spirit’s daily schedule for the 11-hour trip between Devonport and Geelong will include one morning arrival in Geelong and an evening departure. This schedule will increase for summer.

Transport reviewer Rory Ding, 24, on board the trip to Geelong, said he was pleased with the service.

“Really happy with the trip. I slept quite well, actually,” Mr Ding said from the dock at Geelong.

“I know they have a private bus company that runs up to the train station but they should have buses (to the Geelong CBD) running.”

Jason Evans, 49, from Hobart, said the trip to Geelong was his 25th crossing of Bass Strait on the Spirit, and it was a “party atmosphere” on board.

“(Saturday night) was probably the calmest trip I’ve ever had; waves were under a metre.

“We’re in Geelong for the day. I wanted to go to Adventure Park but it is closed. It could be an Uber into town.”

TT-Line chairman Michael Grainger said more people were using the Spirit as flight prices between the mainland and Tasmania fluctuated.

He said the Geelong hub, where 300 cars could be housed under cover, provided a better option because the company had run out of space at the Spirit’s previous home at Station Pier, Port Melbourne.

“We believe, and we’ve already seen, that the public are really going to embrace this (Geelong) facility,” Mr Grainger said.

“We are currently ahead of our all-time record per annum of 2018-2019. Pre-Covid we would carry about 450,000 to 470,000 passengers annually.”

Proposed locations for a low-cost camping area in Geelong’s north to service, in part, Spirit of Tasmania passengers, are expected to be considered by Geelong council soon.

Two new ships, expected to be in use by March 2024, would allow more passengers and freight to be moved but wouldn’t offer a quicker journey, Mr Grainger said.

Mr Grainger said the Devonport to Geelong route would lead to increased demand from passengers in New South Wales and Queensland.

City of Greater Geelong mayor Peter Murrihy said council was “keen to determine the potential for a new low-cost camping site in the northern suburbs”.

Six cruise ships are expected to dock in Geelong this summer, bringing 5000 passengers.

Originally published as Spirit of Tasmania on track for record year of passengers