Don't miss this boat

Don’t miss this boat

31/1/2018

A car ferry would see Phillip Island evolve from a “dead-end destination” into the new gateway to Bass Coast and beyond, writes Rob Easton.

By Rob Easton

AS A resident and business owner on Phillip Island I would like to offer my in principle support for the car ferry proposal that is currently being investigated to operate from Cowes to Stony Point. The recent Bass Coast Shire Council discussion paper provides the necessary statistical support for the points made in this letter.

The proposed car ferry offers many opportunities to the Island. In summary:

Tourism connectivity
It offer visitors to Victoria a world-class touring route from the Great Ocean Road through to Queenscliff and to Sorrento through the Mornington Peninsula and then the missing link to Phillip Island by car ferry. There is then the option of travelling further to Wilsons Promontory and beyond (and by extension, Sydney and further afield). Phillip Island would no longer be a “one-way destination”, but instead the new gateway to Bass Coast and beyond. In fact, Phillip Island would then feature as a destination of part of one of the longest vehicle touring routes in the world. A reliable link from Cowes to Stony Point also permits access to Melbourne-bound trains: which benefits local and regional intrastate tourism.

Increased spending by visitors
Even on a medium-demand scenario, an estimated $18.85 million dollars is expected to be generated as a direct benefit of the proposed ferry operation by visitors coming to Phillip Island: a direct benefit to the local business community well worth considering.

Increased employment
The car ferry is predicted to create 123 additional full-time jobs, both directly from the development, construction and operation of the service and indirectly to the tourism and hospitality providers (the second largest industry in Bass Coast Shire) along with other varied industries.

Emergency services & crisis management
Access and egress in relation to emergency services is yet another positive, especially during peak visitation to Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula. The bridge to the Island has been closed due to traffic accidents in recent times. Having only one way on and off one of the country's most visited destinations has always been a concern, especially in these days of political volatility. Imagine an urgent evacuation when the Island is at its peak of 80,000 to 100,000 visitors trying to escape via a single two-lane road and one bridge ...

Future development of our youth
Perhaps most importantly, this proposed ferry link provides potential for our young people to be gainfully employed on the Island – instead of having to head elsewhere. They would have a real, affordable alternative to study and train in some of the best facilities our state has to offer and return to Phillip Island. Retaining these skills, knowledge and insight is one of the most beneficial outcomes of all.

People actually DO want it
The discussion paper highlights the need for the ferry and shows consumer demand constitutes a viable public/private sector collaborative investment worth pursuing. In the first consultation process, there was almost 90 per cent support from responding businesses and over 70 per cent from residents. In addition it shows the proposed connection will benefit public and private sectors, see increased investment, a substantial increase in direct employment opportunities and a great tourism draw card for one of the state's most iconic regions.

Regrettably, a small number within the community do not share this sense of growth and keen optimism to see Phillip Island evolve into more than a “dead-end-destination”. While there are many questions still to be answered, and much work to be done to ensure the proposal is deployed with care and attention to meet community expectations, most of the community see Phillip Island as one of Australia's great tourism destinations worthy of investment.

I would encourage any of your readers who believe that this opportunity is one too good to pass up to join a change.org petition to the State Minister for Regional Development, Jaala Pulford, Minister for Tourism and Major Events, John Eren, and our Island Ward councillors Pamela Rothfield, Stephen Fullarton and Michael Whelan to request their support and show that this car ferry is an essential investment in Phillip Island's future.

I, for one, don't want to miss the boat.

The draft business case for a Cowes to Stony Point car ferry will be released for comment on February 17.

11 Comments

Bernie

2/2/2018 10:30:37 am

Car ferry is fairy land, even 5 round trips per day, at average 40% car capacity, shifts a whole 150 cars PER DAY. Capital cost total will nudge $100M. Single lane of road at 60kmh delivers 1200 cars PER HOUR.

Rob please change to soothing medication

Margaret

4/2/2018 07:50:17 am

Bernie you have no vision. When they built the Monash Freeway I can remember driving on it at 110kmh, now look at it, a travelers nightmare. Everything has to start somewhere and this ferry makes economic and practical sense for the long term future.

James

2/2/2018 10:36:49 am

"Imagine an urgent evacuation when the Island is at its peak of 80,000 to 100,000 visitors trying to escape via a single two-lane road and one bridge ..."

Gosh! But no, I can't imagine such a scenario. Is Phillip Island hit by a 20m tsunami or a nuclear missile from North Korea? Or perhaps like a scene from The Birds the penguins turn on the islanders who must flee en masse!

Rob Easton

11/2/2018 01:30:13 pm

James, I take your point. The single ferry certainly cannot take 80,000 people at a time should a mass evacuation be required. But imagine the assets that COULD be called in should the disastrous and unthinkable occur: the infrastructure proposed for this ferry would allow much bigger vessels the chance to assist with a potential evacuation, should the same be required.

Recently a great point was raised around the vulnerability of the bridge itself. Take note of the number of placarded loads crossing the bridge at any one time (petrol, gas, diesel, aviation fuel, explosives for the quarry, to name a few).

It is not a matter of IF but of WHEN a catastrophic event occurs - especially given the increase in recent road incidents.

What would happen in the event this occurs on the circa 1950s bridge and the concrete pylons are compromised? How long would we be without road access to the mainland for? How would Phillip Island access the resources (including the water from the mainland) we require? This ferry proposes contingency and assistance for emergency egress that should have been instigated many, many moons ago when the region, and specifically the island, was identified as the growth corridor it has become.

There are certainly a lot of questions to work through, but I certainly see a plus vote in favour of supporting emergency services in whatever way possible.

Brendan 5

21/4/2019 05:47:30 pm

Actually James the reality if there were a shift in the tectonic plates in Bass Strait then Phillip Island would be wiped out as we know it. Unlikely but not impossible because of Phillip Island is narrow and flat; the only escape if enough warning would be by speed boat from Cowes / Ventnor across Westernport Bay to the Peninsula then head for Red Hill. Or again if enough warning by road off the island and head inland.

Edward

2/2/2018 11:01:18 am

Better to build a bridge with a toll road.

But what I would like to see would be a foot bridge from Inverloch across the mouth of Anderson's inlet. Cash outlay vs impact on public assess would I think be significantly greater and work wonders for the Venus bay community without the need to upgrade the roads. Would be fab for cyclists. Perhaps Mr Brown could combine it with his Wonthaggi to Inverloch bike path... now that would be somethings special

Jan Fleming

2/2/2018 03:19:03 pm

I prefer Kevin Brown's reasons of why we should not have a ferry.

Bradley drew,

3/2/2018 09:32:35 am

Great read Rob, well thought out and some great points I to would love to see Phillip island as a gate way to Bass Coast, your points on Employment, development for youth, Emergency Crisis Management, Spending(bass coast currently have the 2nd lowest tourist spend per visitor in Australia),good logic, the point on getting the project done right is crucial, I take note of one of the comments regarding the current single road both on and off the island, should this project be successful and lets hope so then this well may also assist council and strengthen there needs for much need assistance with Vic roads on the bigger picture an enable the opportunity to fast track solutions that will enhance and improve the island with a holistic approach.See you on the ferry Rob
Bradley Drew

Bea

4/2/2018 11:00:18 am

If the ferry is supposed to make Phillip Island the "gateway to Bass Coast and beyond" there is only one way to get "beyond" and that is by the bridge. Either tourists take the ferry to and from the island, and it remains a final destination, or they take the ferry to the island and drive over the bridge and explore the Bass Coast and beyond. This will increase, not decrease bridge traffic.
As for emergency evacuations, cars and people will still be stranded waiting for the ferry, unless, of course, the emergency event happens to involve the ferry terminal. There are a thousand disaster scenarios one can speculate. And that's just what they are. Speculations.

Youth development. The ferry would provide students "real, affordable alternative to study and train at some of the best institutions our state has to offer and then return to the island" That sounds lovely and has the capacity to pull at the heart strings, but on what are you basing this? Do they take the ferry to Mornington then the train to Melbourne? Why not take the bus to Melbourne? or the bus to Dandenong and the train to Melbourne? Perhaps you are right, but how can anyone know without any solid statistics to back it up.

125 jobs, many of them during the construction phase, (temporary, transient employment) the remainder in hospitality and ferry operations, several years from now. This doesn't mean that these jobs will be filled by locals, my bet is that most won't. Again, statistics, please.

"Increased spending by visitors"? Don't you mean, increased visitors who will potentially spend some money here?

As for our wildlife, we all know the number one threat to wildlife is the destruction of their habitat, followed very closely by pollution such as plastics in the waterways. The waters off Cowes and Phillip Island are in the migratory paths of whales and endangered seabirds. A huge draw to the island is our wildlife. We've all seen the dead wallabies littering the roads. How in the world is a massive ferry terminal, increased traffic, increased building NOT going to have a negative impact on them?

And, finally, looking 20 - 30 years down the road. It is universally understood and believed, based on countless studies, that our oil supplies can't hold out more than another 30 years. Assuming it takes 5 years to complete the ferry project, why in the world are we investing $100 million in something that has a good chance of becoming obsolete in 25 years? Sustainability??? Isn't that the buzz word of the day?

Rob Easton

11/2/2018 01:21:51 pm

Bea, simply click on through to the link to review the discussion paper where you will find all the statistics to support my article. (I do mention this at the top of the piece, and the BCP editors have been kind enough to provide click throughs for the same)

You'll find the discussion paper, and comparative case studies especially, a poignant read.

I also refer you to my final comments where I mention that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure this project is deployed with care and attention. The viability is confirmed, it is now up to all of us to engage and have our say to ensure the ferry project is as beneficial as possible to all.

Bernie

4/2/2018 12:24:18 pm

If its business people peddling big benefits from car ferry, surely, they should get own business prospectus together so they and other big investors can share proceeds?

Why let taxpayer subsidised operator get all profits?

With mob as big as AECOM, unlikely to get change from $100M Capex.

No way ROI, for never and never, AMEN.

Don’t miss this boat

Leave a Reply.