Daintree Rainforest Discussion

Cazzyg · Guest

We have booked to visit the Daintree in April 06 and have read of the ferry dispute which would mean that there is no way of getting to Cape Tribulation. Besides the one article in the Australian Newspaper, I cant find anything further on this. Is it likely that there will be no ferry service during April? Any help u can give would be much appreciated. Thanks

DCTTA · Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 45

PRESS RELEASE:

DAINTREE FERRY WILL CONTINUE - COUNCIL
The Douglas Shire Council has responded angrily to what it calls misinformed and mischievous reports that the Daintree River Ferry will cease operation from 21st March 2006.

Douglas Shire Council Mayor, Cr Mike Berwick said: “a recent report appearing in The Australian newspaper is unfounded and amounts to nothing more than journalistic ‘sensationalism’ and scaremongering.”

Mayor Berwick added, “a number of senior members of the Council’s staff have been in negotiations with the current ferry operator for some months, seeking either to extend the current contract to 30th June 2006 or for the Council to purchase the ferry from the operator with effect from the date of the termination of the contract”.

Cr Berwick said: “the negotiations are progressing and I am very confident they will be successfully concluded well before 21st March. In the event that doesn’t happen arrangements will be in place to continue a ferry service between the period of the expiry of the current contract and the commencement of the new contract. The nature of these arrangements is confidential.”

He added: “The Council considers the ferry service to be an ‘essential service’ for the Shire’s residents north of the Daintree River, as well as for tourism and other business operators and the travelling public generally”.

“We are doing and will continue to do everything in our power to secure the service during the transition from the existing contract to the new contract,” he concluded.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the office of the Mayor of the Douglas Shire Council on (07)4099 9444 during business hours.

------------------------------------------------End of Release--------------------------------------------

And a followup to that: 28/2/6

NEWS FLASH the Daintree council have just agreed to buy the old ferry even tho the contractor wanted way more than its worth.

The bottom line is:
There should be no distruption to the ferry service before the arrival of the new ferry