Clarence City Council supports new preferred site for second Derwent Ferry terminal in municipality

After initially supporting a different site for a new Derwent Ferry terminal, a local council has changed its tune and backed another location in the wake of community opposition.

Derwent Ferries, a ferry arrives at Bellerive from Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

The Clarence City Council has agreed on a new preferred site for a second Derwent Ferry terminal in the municipality after safety concerns were aired regarding a proposal to build it at the Lindisfarne Sailing Club.

The Motor Yacht Club of Tasmania, Incat founder Bob Clifford, and the Lindisfarne RSL were among the parties to back Natone St as the best location for the terminal.

A public consultation process overseen by the council received 695 submissions, with 65 per cent of respondents agreeing that Natone St was a good terminal site and 46 per cent agreeing that the sailing club was a good site.

Derwent Ferries, a ferry arrives at Bellerive from Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

At a council meeting on Monday night, officers recommended that councillors should walk back their in-principle support for the Lindisfarne Bay location and instead support Natone St as the preferred site “subject to further engineering, financial and other assessments”.

The motion was successful, with the majority of the council voting in favour of it.

Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley said it was “clear from community and stakeholder feedback that Natone St is the preferred option”.

“The final decision on the location of the terminal will be made in conjunction with the Tasmanian government, however the strong community support for the Natone St site is clear and that’s the advice we should be providing to the government,” he said.

Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley at Richmond. Picture: Chris Kidd

Councillor Daniel Hulme said concerns had been raised about the ferry coming into contact with smaller vessels in Lindisfarne Bay and some community members had expressed fears regarding the risk of capsizing and collision.

“While I still see the sites in terms of various criteria as being relatively equal in terms of the pros and cons, I think that safety aspect is something really important that we need to take into account,” he said.

But Coucillor Beth Warren, who did not support the motion, said Lindisfarne Bay was “much more practical” as a location for the terminal because it was closer to the village and local bike tracks.

Clarence councillor Beth Warren. Picture: Linda Higginson

“There would have to be a substantial amount of infrastructure added to Natone St, which at the moment is a quiet residential street and just that little bit further away from the village centre,” she said.

The state government established a commuter ferry service between Bellerive and Brooke Street Pier in 2021, which has carried more than 200,000 passengers across the river to date.

It’s proposed that the Derwent Ferry will expand first to Sandy Bay, Wilkinsons Point, and Lindisfarne, before new terminals are investigated at Regatta Point, Geilston Bay, and Kingston Beach.