Bulimba ferry terminal closed on Monday (9 November) for essential maintenance and is due to reopen in mid-December, under Brisbane City Council's ferry terminal program for the Bulimba peninsula. The council says more than 1,100 passengers board at Bulimba each day, making it one of the busiest suburban ferry terminals in its network, and that the full closure will allow the works to be completed safely.
Commuters and business owners are voicing their frustrations over the closure, with complaints of replacement buses not showing up and extra cars flooding streets, Brisbane Times reported on Friday (13 November).
The council says the gangway needs essential maintenance and renewal works after the terminal's major 2014 upgrade. Crews are replacing key components that connect the gangway to the shore and pontoon, along with other components that help support and stabilise it.
Replacement Buses and Parking
The Translink closure notice says F21 cross-river ferries that normally run between Teneriffe and Bulimba stop at Hawthorne instead. Shuttle 23 runs in weekday peaks, from Bulimba to Hawthorne from 6am to 9am and from Hawthorne to Bulimba from 3pm to 7pm, and Translink says the 232 and shuttle 23 together provide approximately a 10-minute frequency during peak. Route 230 has additional trips late at night and on Sundays, but does not stop near Hawthorne ferry terminal.
Bulimba resident Margaret Hall told Brisbane Times she arrived about 7.20-7.25am on Monday and waited for a shuttle to Hawthorne that was supposed to turn up every 10 minutes. About 7.50am she gave up and caught the 231 bus, arriving 20 minutes late for work. "It's a schemozzle," she said. "That's been, really, how it's been all week."
Hawthorne residents complained of extra cars flooding their streets, including some parked over driveways, Brisbane Times reported.
The council said the route 23 shuttle was operating as scheduled, that it enforced parking through proactive patrols and in response to complaints, and that it was investigating concerns around the Hawthorne ferry terminal.
Oxford Street Business Owners
Peter Aitcheson, from homewares store Perfect Living on Oxford Street, said his shop suffered a 40 per cent sales dip on days when CityCat workers went on strike, and the closure just before Christmas was likely to have a similar effect. "No time is going to be a good time, really, but we know that February, March, April is quieter for us," he said.
Anne Wood, from Anne's Second Hand Shop, said the closure was a "double whammy" for small business after the strikes. "A lot of our trade comes from tourists and retired people from New Farm, Teneriffe, Newstead," she said.
The council said other periods were considered, but the final dates were selected due to contractor availability, and ferries were much busier during the school holidays. Councillor Andrew Wines said the essential maintenance on the terminal gangway could not be done safely while it was in use. "We're grateful for everyone's patience and look forward to reopening the terminal later this year," he said.
Morningside councillor Lucy Collier said the council had not provided reliable replacement services, Brisbane Times reported.
The council says Apollo Road and Hawthorne ferry terminals will remain open for the duration of the maintenance program. Works at Apollo Road, including upgraded seating and signage, additional shelter and improved lighting and safety features, are due to start at the end of November and finish in early 2027.