Families caught in long queue of traffic waiting for Bruny Island ferries

UPDATED: Boxing Day was quiet but today is another matter entirely as Bruny Island ferries fight to clear a backlog of cars waiting to make the channel crossing.

Cars are driven onboard one of the three Bruny Island ferries on Thursday. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

HOLIDAY-MAKERS heading to Bruny Island today found themselves waiting as long as three hours in line on the Channel Highway as the queue for the ferry stretched for up to 1.5km.

Following a surprisingly quiet Boxing Day for the popular holiday destination, a combination of Christmas holidays and perfect weather led to a massive surge of visitors to Bruny Island today.

And even with three ferries operating, operator Sea Link could not keep up with demand, with a column of cars stretching up Ferry Rd and up the Channel Highway almost as far as Doughboy Drive.

Traffic controllers directing vehicles on the Channel Highway at Kettering. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Also caught in the snarl were motorists attempting to travel to towns further south down the highway, but unable to overtake safely to escape the queue.

Further compounding the congestion, about 2pm police were notified of a crash on Main Rd, Bruny Island, involving multiple vehicles, but resulting in only minor damage and no injuries.

Kettering resident Chris Palmer, 74, said the queue started forming on the highway from about 9am and by 10am the line was almost 1.5km long and at a virtual standstill as cars were loaded onto each arriving ferry.

“The ferries are turning it all around fairly quickly but they can only go so fast and take so many at a time,” he said.

“This congestion happens every year — never on Boxing Day itself, but the day after.”

Traffic jam at Kettering for the Bruny Ferry. Beyond nuts and bloody dangerous. How’s that booking system going? #politas @WillHodgman @DeanWinter4 pic.twitter.com/6lI4Zy4evI

— Luke Martin (@lukemartin83) 27 December 2019

Val Brown, 80, said it took cars about 15 minutes to reach the ferry terminal from her home at Manuka Rd, which was about halfway along the queue.

“In the past they have had traffic management people in to make all the ferry-bound cars keep to the far left so there’s room for other traffic to pass and continue south, but that’s not happening today,” she said.

Sealink has engaged private traffic controllers to manage congestion in the area and Tasmania Police has been keeping an eye on the traffic situation, advising anyone planning a trip to Bruny Island today to factor in long waiting times at the ferry terminal.

Mr Palmer said he wondered what all the visitors planned to do when they made it to the island.

“It’s going to be crowded over there. And if they’re just going for a day trip, the moment they arrive they’ll have to turn around and line up for the trip back,” he said.

Cars waiting for a ferry on Thursday. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Bernie Colebourn, 43, from Campania, left home at 9am with his wife, three young children and two dogs for a weekend camping trip on the island.

At 2pm he was still waiting to board a ferry.

“We’ve been in this queue for about three hours now and I’m second in line waiting for the next ferry,” he said.

“The traffic management has been rubbish, it’s been basically a single lane the whole way, it’s madness.”

Bernie Colebourn waiting to catch the ferry to Bruny Island. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Aaron Spurr, 45, from Ranelagh, left home at noon with his wife and three children, unaware of the congestion that had already formed.

“We’re going to be pretty late getting over there now and the kids are pretty much over it,” he said.

“The people managing the traffic have done well in the circumstances, I reckon, doing the best they can and they’ll tell you what’s happening if you ask.”

SeaLink has been contacted for comment.