The big hit that the Tasmanian tourism industry took as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic is continuing to focus minds on how best to maximise visitor numbers in the future … and caravan travel is front and centre of the thinking.
Late last year, the Spirit of Tasmania introduced a scheme whereby many vehicles could cross the Bass Strait for free.
Now, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has called for the construction of a third Bass Strait ferry, with the primary focus of the vessel being transportation of freight, cars and caravans to and from the Apple Isle.
The Tasmanian government has recently gone back to the drawing board to find replacement ferries for the TT-Line. Two new ferries to be built in Europe were supposed to be in service this year. Instead, the government has binned the plan to find an Australian builder for some or all of the $850 million plus project.
Now, in addition to the two new ferries to be built, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) and Incat are calling for a proportion of federal roads spending to be diverted to building a third Bass Strait ferry to carry freight, cars and caravans.
AMWU state secretary John Short told the Advocate newspaper the ferry was needed to meet tourism demands and create Tasmanian jobs.
“At the moment, I talk to so many people from the mainland who’d love to come across but the price to bring their caravan is just exorbitant,” Mr Short said. “With greater capacity and greater capability through a third vessel, we can get the prices down and more people across.”
He said the high prices of caravan transport was cutting off tourism benefits that would extend to regional and remote areas.
“There’s very little push to have tourists coming across in caravans and motorhomes, who will spend more time here and in regional areas,” he said. “This is so the whole state benefits.”
The Advocate reports that, previously, both TT- Line and Austal, the WA-based ship building company, have determined that a catamaran vessel would be unsuitable for making the journey across the Strait.
However, Mr Short said this ferry wouldn’t compare to previous Incat vessels.
“I know it has a bit of a chequered past with the devil cat, but this is a boat five times bigger than that (in capacity),” he said. “It’ll be about 180 metres long, and wider too. It will handle the rougher seas much better than previous vessels.”
The union is calling on the federal and state governments to fund the project, and it says that, if Incat were successful in gaining funding, the company would be ready to begin construction in a matter of weeks.
“That would protect the jobs that are already there, but Incat have already made the commitment that if they got that kind of work, they would get more people on, and train more apprentices,” said Mr Short. “We need young people trained up in Tasmania, and Incat will be able to do that.”
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said last week that he would not apologise for the delay of the decision on the replacement Spirit of Tasmania ships ahead of the TT-Line taskforce presenting its report to the government soon.
“Despite all the contrary commentary on the subject the government is absolutely committed to ensuring we have ships that are the best fit for our tourism and freight needs, and importantly, can meet demand as it rebuilds,” Mr Gutwein said.
Its a no-brainer, get the cost of taking a van across…and there would be a flood of vans going across. Just do it!!
Don’t want you and your flood of bloody vans.
Without visitors Tassie would struggle
Any region area town city state country must have visitors. It’ all helps keep the
Economic wheel turning. Keeps people in jobs creates jobs
A reasonable price to move car and caravan over would be great. If the Tasmanian Govt want more tourists then more capacity and a cheaper price would see a lot more tourists visit.
A few years ago a friend got stuck over there for an extra couple of months, with his Rainbow motorhome, due to not enough capacity to get the return trip when he wanted.
Before covid, it was cheaper, to fly from Ballina NSW to Sydney, to Hobart, $495 one way ( Virgin), and hire a car down their, and use cabins, but even so that worked out pretty dear, then being able to freecamp in comfort in winter in your Caravan, if it wasn’t for the high cost of putting it on the ferry. We will never go there, because of this cost, Maybe a bridge would be a better bet, down the track.
Ah bureaucracy.
With the bucket load of GST they get down there from the rest of Australia, particularly from us in the West, one would think they could buy 3 of these boats and still give a reasonable price.
Took our van over for 2 months, 2 years ago, went to all corners of Tassie, we enjoyed the trip over and back in the recliner lounge. Both decided the price we paid was okay as we didn’t use a lot of fuel and the low cost camps made for a great holiday. Biggest cost was the fuel from Qld to Vic.
As a travelling Tasmanian I don`t know why they are rabbiting on about a third ferry. They can`t get their sh*t together for the first two.