The use of an overseas company, the flexibility allowed in a 20-year contract, the possibility the provider would switch from diesel to electric propulsion and traffic congestion on Moorindil Street, Tewantin, were issues raised during Noosa Council’s discussion on the Noosa North Shore ferry tender.
At Monday’s general committee meeting, councillors voted unanimously to endorse staff recommendations to go ahead with a 20-year contract with Divers Den Investments (DDI), part of the Estrada Travel Group, New Zealand’s largest passenger transport company, to take over operations of the Noosa North Shore ferry from mid-2024, at the end of the current contract.
Council received tenders for the contract from three companies – incumbent operators Noosa North Shore Ferries, KBRV Services, part of the Kelsian group which operates SeaLink, Australia’s largest ferry operator, and DDI.
Council officers recommended council choose DDI and its tender to supply two newly constructed diesel-fuelled vessels – a 27-vehicle ferry and 12-vehicle ferry along with an emissions offset agreement using Greenfleet offsets through the Yurol forest project.
Their tender promises larger vehicle ferries, less queues, contemporary payment systems and a stream-lined service provided by an experienced operator, Noosa Council staff told last week’s council meeting of their recommended tender choice.
“At 27 vehicles, the single larger ferry exceeds the capacity of both existing ferries by 35 per cent and would eliminate most vehicle queuing issues, allowing DDI to operate only one ferry to comfortably meet service KPIs for all but the busiest times of the year and to significantly simplify the service’s staffing and rostering needs,“ council’s recommendation stated.
Currently dealing with 770,000 customers a year with all their platforms, websites and customer services in place DDI “have all the tools to deliver on the contract“, staff said.
On Monday the meeting heard that, despite being a New Zealand company, the proposed operator already had a number of entities in Queensland including the operation of the Daintree vehicle ferry and would use local staff in Noosa.
Cr Brian Stockwell said the new ferry service would facilitate traffic flow and decrease congestion in peak periods. It would leave the decision to the state government on the number of day trippers to North Shore rather than the ferry service.
The state government already required a Vehicle Access Permit (VAP) for vehicles accessing the Noosa North Shore beach, with number plate recognition cameras in place at beach entries to check permits. Fines were issued to those who drive on the beach without a VAP and overnight campers require the VAP as well as having booked and paid for their camping.
Cr Amelia Lorentson asked whether the contract had the flexibility to enable council to discuss with the operator electrifying the ferry vehicles at a future time and officers replied the potential was there through the life of the contract to look at converting to other propulsion technologies.
Officers said the contract allowed for a range of outcomes that historically they were unable to include in lease agreements.
Cr Frank Wilkie said the most significant outcome of the new ferry would be to minimise the impact on Moorindil Street residents during peak periods.
A larger ferry, an additional slip lane and the use of online technology will facilitate faster travel times and less queuing, he said.
“It would make the experience high quality, not one of congestion and waiting,“ Cr Stockwell said.
Infrastructure upgrades, included in the current budget, are to be made to the Moorindil Street approach to the ferry landings to extend 600m southward, with the addition of pedestrian and cycle facilities.
The changeover of ferry operators proposed for mid-2024 when the current contract expires will be a complex process involving the larger ferry being brought to Noosa from a Cairns ship builder and installed before the new contract begins to enable a smooth switch over of services, council heard.
The final decision on the ferry tender will be made at council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday.
For more information on Noosa North Shore permits, visit qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/areas-facilities/permits/vehicle
