CALL FOR A LEVY TO KEEP TOURIST NUMBERS DOWN IN DAINTREE

A GROUP of Douglas Shire residents has rejected calls for a bridge or second ferry to traverse the World Heritagelisted Daintree River.

The Douglas Shire Sustainability Group has instead called for a levy to be imposed on tourists, the introduction of shuttle buses and a limit on visitor numbers to protect the region’s integrity.

Douglas Shire Council called for submissions from the community as it decides what steps to take when the current ferry contract expires in 2021.

The DSSG, headed up by former Douglas Shire mayor Mike Berwick, argued a second ferry may relieve congestion but would come at a cost to travellers and “there will always need to be a limit on the amount of traffic carried across the river to avoid a major upgrade of the road north”.

The submission proposed a booking system for visitors in busy times, priority lanes for locals on both sides of the river, the development of a western precinct with a self-funded interpretative centre and coffee shop and a shuttle bus service to Cape Tribulation.

Mr Berwick said the Daintree could not accommodate an endless increase in selfdrive visitors “or we will end up with a bridge and highway, threatening both the environment and presentation, ultimately ruining the experience”.

“Assuming the ferry is to stay in the long term, locals must be able to get back and forth without queuing,” he said.

“One-off travellers can cope with a queue.

“Locals, who have to cross regularly for the likes of work, school and shopping, cannot.”

Funds raised through the proposed levy would be spent directly on conservation, presentation and infrastructure.

“A levy once existed but because council accounted for it separately and called it a levy, there was an opinion that it was not legal and it was shut down,” Mr Berwick said.

He proposed an amendment to the Local Government Act similar to the one that applies a $1-per-person levy to Kuranda Skyrail visitors.

“Concerns by businesses that it would turn people away have proven false as the cost has increased well beyond the combined charge and levy at the time and numbers have continued to increase,” Mr Berwick said.

“However, we are proposing half the money be spent on community as they get very little benefit from tourism with few employed in tourism or having a tourism business.”