General News
5 May, 2026
No-one pays ferry man
LOCAL travellers will be able to cross the Daintree River for free during May and June, following the Douglas Shire Council’s approval to reinstate the ‘Douglas Card’.
A deputation by Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree (TPDD) and Cape Tribulation business owners at Tuesday’s council meeting called for the immediate provision of the card over the “shoulder season”, which would normally cost ferry users $50.
They argued the current situation for businesses north of the river was desperate and some were considering closing their doors during those months.
“That’s how bad it is,” Cape Tribulation Camping, Horse Riding and Café operator Jackie Pagani told the meeting. “Our operating costs are more than double … we know were going backwards.”
At the Daintree Discovery Centre, manager Abbey Ralph said they were down $150,000 over the past two months.
“That is just income, not staff wages, or the doubling of the fuel costs,” she said.
The council cost for introducing what is normally a wet season free pass for locals would be $20,000, but it would be money well spent, TPDD executive officer Emma Tunnock said.
“After COVID, then Jasper, we never recovered,” she said, adding that tourism data had shown the region has been consistently 8% down from pre-COVID figures in overnight expenditure with inflation adjusted.
Ms Tunnock said the region was hit with the ferry out of action for a week and three flooding events, followed by adverse television media coverage of Cyclone Narelle which never hit Port Douglas.
Data found in January only 400 people crossed the river and in March the ferry only operated for five days. The Captain Cook Highway has also been under continuous roadwork.
“And we haven’t even come to a fuel crisis yet,” Ms Tunnock said.
Ms Tunnock said to promote the card, TPDD would develop a marketing campaign for the Douglas and adjoining shires.
In supporting the “clever idea”, Cr Abigail Noli moved a motion calling for a reinstatement of the card for two months in an urgent response to current fuel price volatility and that the $20,000 could be funded from 25-26 budget provisions.
“They are not asking us to dip into revenue … it’s worth a go,” she said. However, Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the request would be unfair to the rest of the operators and taxpayers in the shire.
“I understand the hardship, but we have a lot of businesses in the Shire that are on their knees. We are focusing on one area, what about the others?
“Fuel is killing us, and I am being a bit cheeky here, but we do pay half a million dollars each year to TPDD to support and market our region.”
Cr Michael Rees said the idea was a proactive response and he fully supported it. The motion was passed, with Cr Scomazzon against.
