Tourism businesses Sunshine Coast Afloat and Bill’s Boat Hire hit by weather

With ongoing rain, flooding and giant ocean swells, several family-run Sunshine Coast businesses are facing an unprecedented nightmare.

Several family-run businesses on the Sunshine Coast are battling for survival after a devastating winter of wild weather and heavy swells.

Sunshine Coast Afloat co-owner Jerry van Driel-Vis said the unrelenting weather had been a huge test for their operations.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” Mr van Driel-Vis said.

Mr van Driel-Vis and his wife have owned Sunshine Coast Afloat Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba since 2011, offering services such as ocean and canal cruises, whale watching, deep sea fishing charters, kayak hire and tours.

Mr van Driel-Vis, 61, said bookings were strong this year but he’d had to cancel about 60 per cent of them compared to only 10 to 15 per cent in previous years following perennial wild weather since January.

“It’s very hard to make that call because it’s money out of the pocket,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Afloat owner Jerry van Driel-Vis. Picture: Supplied

But he said it was the “right thing” to cancel bookings to ensure customers would have a safe and fun experience when they re-booked.

He said it was particularly unsafe to take passengers out to sea during mammoth swell between May and June, but, fortunately, he had been able to continue taking cruises through the canals in Mooloolaba.

“Without them (canal cruises), I don’t know how we would survive,” he said.

On top of this, Mr van Driel-Vis said his business was able to persevere because of its strong following.

Craig Chandler is another business owner feeling the pressure from this year’s brutal weather.

Bill’s Boat and Bike Hire owner Craig Chandler, left. Picture: Supplied

Mr Chandler and his wife have been running Bill’s Boat and Bike Hire at Golden Beach since 2016, renting out kayaks, tinnies, and pontoon boats, among others.

Mr Chandler, 56, said his family-run business has been hurt by the wet weather this year, especially when it closed its doors for about three months from January because of the “extraordinary” weather, including flooding and tidal surges from cyclones.

“We’re just getting by,” he said.

The breakthrough at the northern end of Bribie Island had also impacted his operations, limiting the area for his customers.

Originally published as Tourism businesses Sunshine Coast Afloat and Bill’s Boat Hire hit by weather