Passage for sea freight secured
Families flock to new playground at DFO
THE remote communities of Aurukun and Lockhart River will continue to receive vital freight services with Sea Swift deciding to operate all year, extending investment and employment opportunities for residents.
The Malu Titan vessel will operate to Aurukun, while the Malu Warrior will service Lockhart.
Sea Swift chief operating officer Lino Bruno said the decision was made with a view to providing customers with a consistent and cost-effective supply chain service for 12 months straight.
“This will ensure there will be no disruption that comes with the torrential wet season across far northern Australia each year,” Mr Bruno said.
“This commitment is not just to our key customers, but extends to the wider community, because all-yearround services require a great deal of local investment in the community and also offers job opportunities.
“Relying on barge services to provide wet season-only services is becoming extremely expensive due to increased regulations and class requirements, coupled with low vessel asset utilisation.
“The only real alternative is for the community to rely upon expensive air charter services during the wet season.”
Mr Bruno said the communities of Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw understood the cost and effect of relying on air charter services. PH: 07 4033 6944 INVESTED: Sea Swift chief operating officer Lino Bruno.
“Even with progressive sealing of roads in the Cape, they will never be 100 per cent flood proofed, and load limits will always apply which means a reliance on either sea or air transport,” he said.
“Anyone who has driven past or driven behind a road train driving up the Cape will know all too well what it is like and the risk.
“Environmentally, sea transport is much more efficient than alternative modes when comparing fuel consumption per tonne of cargo.
“This means a real reduction in greenhouse gases which contributes towards a better global environment.
“You have this rare situation where the customers win, the community wins, the environment wins, and the service provider wins by having a sustainable year-round service.”
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ARMED with an ethos of “build it and they will come”, Sentinel Property Group managing director Warren Ebert is confident the new DFOOD attraction at DFO Cairns will be a popular destination for the city’s families.
Work on the children’s playground and outdoor area, which is touted to be leased on occasions to host food vans and festival-style events, has 1/472 Mulgrave Rd, Earville QLD 4870 finished just in time for the school holidays.
DFOOD, a twist on the suburban food court offering, includes new parents’ room facilities, upgrades to entrances and toilet facilities and more stores and entertainment options for local families.
Hutchinson Builders has removed the first level of the carpark closest to Mulgrave Rd and the remainder of the multi-level carpark will stay intact with a new entry and exit to be relocated via the World Gym ramp.
The works are part of an overhaul of the shopping destination which started almost 12 months ago.
Mr Ebert said it was difficult to nail down local tenants, but he hoped once the renovations were completed, Far Northern retailers would fill the remaining few tenancies.
“We have got an office block at 139 Grafton St and we’ve invested $300 million in central and he said.
“I see a very good decade ahead for central and north Queensland.
“The Esplanade – that’s for tourists, the parking is difficult and it’s a bit expensive.
“We want this space to be for locals.
“There is a big-screen TV where people can gather to watch big games or events.
“We wanted something family friendly.” north Queensland,”