General News
5 November, 2025
Fare we go
A 20-year contract to design, construct, operate and maintain a new four-lane ferry for the Daintree River crossing has been signed.
Australian maritime engineering company Birdon signed the contract with Douglas Shire Council last week.
The value of the multimillion-dollar contract has not been disclosed, however, a council spokesman earlier told the Gazette that “the new ferry contract will have no impact on council rates”.
Established in 1977, Birdon is regarded as a world-leading designer and manufacturer of specialist vessels. The company is acknowledged as Australia’s leading cable-drawn ferry operator having designed, built, operated and maintained cable ferries for over 20 years.
Their task will now be to design, construct, operate and maintain a new four-lane ferry for the Daintree River crossing. The project is expected to deliver a safer, faster and more efficient ferry service for residents, visitors and tourism operators, improving connectivity in Far North Queensland and supporting the local economy.
Birdon chief executive officer Jamie Bruce said the company was proud to have been selected to deliver the vital public service project and iconic transport link for the Douglas Shire and Daintree region.
“As a family-owned Australian company, we’ve been building and operating ships and ferries for nearly 50 years. We’re committed to delivering a modern vessel that will reduce wait times and enhance service reliability,” he said.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the contract signing marked a major milestone in the upgrade of the river crossing.
“This is a huge step forward for our community. We’re excited to see Birdon’s expertise brought to the Daintree River,” she said.
Birdon will take over operations of the current ferry service from 1 July 2026, with the new ferry expected to enter service at the end of 2027.
The four-lane ferry will replace the ageing three-lane vessel, which is nearing the end of its service life.
The new 49m-long, 16m-wide design will carry 36 vehicles, nine more than the current vessel.
Council’s traffic modelling predicts the larger vessel, along with dedicated loading and unloading lanes and a priority lane system for locals, will result in a reduction in queue lengths and waiting times in the peak season.
Birdon’s vessel design and delivery timeframe is intended to integrate with council major infrastructure upgrades to the roads and ferry ramps on both sides of the Daintree River.
The ferry will be the seventh cable-drawn ferry to be built by Birdon at its Port Macquarie shipyard in regional New South Wales (NSW).
Read More: Daintree
