Fair go for ferry proposal

A PROPOSAL to run highspeed catamarans to ferry passengers between the Gold Coast and Brisbane would be considered if put to Gold Coast Waterways.

Hotel and tourism consultant Nick Israel said he had the idea to run a high-speed ferry to reduce congestion after speaking to boaties in the region.

He believed it was a way to get around growing congestion on the M1.

“I think if the ferry is large enough and scheduled on a regular basis, there is going to be a lot of people who would use it,” he said.

“But it would have to be cheap enough.”

The idea came to Mr Israel after talking to boaties with knowledge of the area.

No plans had been made to put together a proposal, but Mr Israel said he thought it was something that could be looked into.

In the late 1980s controversial and later fugitive businessman Christopher Skase ran a hovercraft along the Brisbane River and Broadwater between Brisbane and Main Beach.

The Skase-owned hovercraft was one of two Gold Coast hovercraft to be caught in an international PR embarrassment after they broke down while the Duke and Duchess of York were onboard.

Gold Coast Waterways CEO Hal Morris said the plan was not impossible.

“We would consider any proposal put to us,” he said.

“As with anything, it would be something we would be happy to look into.”

But Mr Morris warned it would not be without its challenges, including speed limits and costs.