Island ferry traffic chaos

GOOD Friday holiday crowds were peppered across the South yesterday, as Hobart basked in the autumn sunshine.

And while families packed the Royal Hobart Botanical Gardens to let their kids loose on the great Easter egg hunt, others aspired to greater heights — at the top of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

Two brave souls were intent on taking a running jump off the mountain — and paragliding serenely to land in the foothills.

Chris Guo, though, was keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

“It’s quite crowded, maybe because it’s a public holiday, but I enjoy it,” the UTAS student from China said.

“We want to go to other places in Tasmania because it’s a very beautiful island.”

Meanwhile, hundreds who wanted to get away to Bruny Island for a holiday break were caught in traffic chaos as long ferry queues caused massive delays.

Tasmania Police was forced to manage traffic along the two main thoroughfares to the Kettering ferry terminal.

Frustrated drivers were queuing up along Ferry Rd and the Channel Highway.

Police issued a statement asking drivers to avoid the area if they could.

Matthew Garth, 24, and Justin Hudson, 26, were caught in traffic at Kettering for up to 90 minutes.

They were on their way to a weekend getaway at Cloudy Bay. But rather than just sitting in their vehicle whiling the time away, the duo jumped out and got in some soccer practice.

“We’ve got a game tomorrow in Taroona so we thought we’d have a kick,” he said, laughing.

“The most frustrating thing about the traffic delays were people trying to push in.”

On the Bruny Island Ferry Queue Public Updates Facebook page, people were pointing out that drivers were queued up to the cemetery on Main Rd on the island.

On Tuesday, ferry operator Sealink said it expected more traffic and much longer wait times during the Easter period.

“As this is a peak period for us at Sealink, please plan ahead and allow extra time to get to Bruny,” the company said in a Facebook post.

“We’ll do our best to make sure our services run as efficiently and smoothly as possible.”

Picture: LUKE BOWDEN WING IT: A paragliders glides over the Organ Pipes with the city of Hobart in the background, photographed from the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

Picture: LUKE BOWDEN CATCH IT: UTAS student Chris Guo throws a frisbee on the summit of Mt Wellington to friend and fellow student E Kong.

Picture: PATRICK GEE HOLD IT: Lines for the Bruny Island Ferry yesterday.

Picture: PATRICK GEE KICK IT: Justin Hudson and Matthew Garth play soccer while they wait in line for the Bruny Island ferry.