The new purpose-designed Spirit of Tasmania terminal at GeelongPort is apparently on track to be completed well in advance of the first sailings on October 23 this year.
And, for many grey nomads, the move to Corio Quay north of Geelong from Station Pier in Port Melbourne cannot come fast enough.
For travellers who have previously battled long queues at the pier and driven a big rig through heavy traffic in and around Melbourne, the thought of a brand new facility properly set up to cope with the high volume of passenger and freight traffic is a heavenly one.
But, as Australian travellers look forward to a more streamlined Bass Strait crossing service, they should perhaps spare a thought for their British counterparts currently being caught up in nightmarish queues to take a ferry to France.
British caravanners hit the back streets in an effort to avoid the traffic chaos. PIC: Cizza
Reports out of the UK talk of massive tailbacks into the Port of Dover and Folkestone, with some people being forced to sleep in their cars due to the gridlock. Some reported taking 21 hours to travel five kilometres.
At one point, the M20 motorway through Kent to the south coast was closed to cars, and drivers were diverted to smaller roads which got jammed and caused miles of tailbacks.
Concept plans for the new Spirit of Tasmania terminal at Corio Quay. PIC: GeelongPort
British motoring organisation, the AA, branded it the ‘hotspot of holiday hell’.
The chaos came at the start of the school summer holidays in Britain, and amidst friction between the UK and French governments over border checks.
Back in Australia, work is continuing apace in Geelong.
The new 12-hectare site at Corio Quay will include a passenger terminal, a passenger vehicle marshalling area for 600 cars and caravans, more efficient passenger vehicle check-in, security facilities, public amenities, food and beverage outlet and children’s play area.
The terminal will include state-of-the-art facilities for passengers and staff, providing a space to relax before or after their voyage.
Beyond the passenger terminal, the new facility will feature a dedicated freight terminal, streamlined and segregated passenger and freight entry and exit points and 150 truck parking bays.
The port will not only cater for the existing vessels but it will also accommodate the new purpose-built ships in 2024.
Although we will be pleased to see the new terminal in Geelong we doubt that the end result will not match the concept plan
We were sent a text message advising us to get to Station Pier early to board the Spirit. We got there at the advised time & it took 3 hours to get on board. On our return to Melbourne it took almost 2 hours to disembark. We only had our car.
Will the new “super efficient” Geelong terminal be any better, we doubt it?
Oh ye of little faith!
If they can load 500 cars in 3 hours then it’s only 21 seconds per car. I think that’s pretty good for any terminal.
You are forgetting that there are a dozen ways to get from the UK to Europe and each way might have multiple sailings per day so they have the big advantage of competition keeping the prices reasonable. Not so with the Tasmanian ferry (or kangaroo Island ferry either)
No…have been lucky enough over the past 2 yrs not to have any issues, but do hate towing thru Melbourne.
Geelong will be a blessing.
We were literally the last car to get off the completely full Tassie boat in Melbourne in January. Almost missed getting our gas cylinder as they were packing everything away!
That won’t change. Just bad luck.
So what about the Pet parents & their fur babies? Where’s the exercise area for them?