Additional sailing times for Bruny Island ferry announced

More sailings have been added to the Bruny Island ferry schedule ahead of the long weekend, bolstering transport for keen holiday-makers.

An additional 19 sailings a week will be added to the Bruny Island ferry timetable, just in time for the long weekend.

SeaLink announced the new timetable would start on Friday June 5, bolstering transport between Kettering and Roberts Point.

“It has no doubt been a challenging few months for everyone, including for us as operators and all the local businesses on Bruny Island,” SeaLink General Manager Tasmania Tania Matthews said.

“Like all Tasmanians, we are pleased to see the reduction to stage two restrictions and we will be running an additional ferry to support travel at peak times over this long weekend.’’

She said the extra 19 services a week would help cater for the expected increase in demand now that restrictions were easing.

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“We appreciate that the community relies on the ferry for connections to the mainland, which the restrictions and the ferry timetable can impact, she said.”

“We can’t wait to welcome people back on board our ferries to deliver a real boost to the island.”

The service has struggled to cope at peak times in the past, with the ferry terminal sent into chaos the day after Boxing Day last year, as hundreds of holiday-makers queued along the Channel Highway.

And last month Bruny Island residents raised concerns that ambulances would struggle to get sick patients to hospital in a timely manner, as a result of decreased ferry services amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Thank you to the community for your feedback, patience and understanding – we are listening,” Ms Matthews said.