River ferries a step closer

Meeting to map possible route on Derwent

THE Hobart City Council will meet ferry stakeholders and proponents this month to map out a route for vessels to operate on the River Derwent.

News of the July 20 roundtable comes as Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding prepares to meet the council about services on the river.

Hobart alderman Damon Thomas said the meeting was a key step in keeping up momentum on the issue.

“We are going to have ferry operators, engineers, the State Government and of course local government with a number of councils all come together,” Ald Thomas said.

“They are all people who have a toe in the water.

“It will be a working party that in my opinion will look at how to keep the pace up with the push.”

Ald Thomas and Ald Philip Cocker last year pushed for a report on the viability of brining back a Derwent ferry service.

The July 20 meeting will consider whether there is a common view on a Derwent ferry service model; how the Brooke Street Pier upgrade can be used in such a plan; and how any ideas that come out of the roundtable can be progressed.

Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey said the council remained determined to explore all aspects of a ferry service.

“We really think it would be fantastic,” Ald Hickey said.

Incat founder and chairman Robert Clifford has already outlined his vision for a “Derwent Highway” commuter and tourist ferry system, which at its peak would involve five ferries servicing 18 floating ferry ports up and down the river from Bridgewater to Opossum Bay and Blackmans Bay.

The Metro bus network would be integrated with the ferry terminals under Mr Clifford’s plan, with bus and ferry tickets also integrated.

“I’m really passionate about ferries on the Derwent,” Mr Clifford has said.

“This waterway is perfectly suited for them. They would run like taxis.”

In April, a newly formed group met the Hobart and Clarence councils about their plans for a service on the Derwent, which included the possibility of electric ferries being used.

Late last year, state and local governments raised ferries as a potential circuitbreaker for Hobart’s traffic woes.