REDLAND City Council says it does not have an endorsed position on whether public passenger ferry services on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) should be consolidated at Dunwich, despite its June submission calling for the upgraded terminal to be planned for a possible full transfer of services from One Mile.
The clarification comes after documents compiled by Amity Point resident David Fife reignited scrutiny of Council’s position, with the State’s terminal-upgrade consultation not asking the community whether One Mile passenger services should end.
Mr Fife’s correspondence file includes Council meeting papers, official correspondence, and Transport and Main Roads responses relating to the Dunwich (Gumpi) Ferry Terminal Upgrade.
Council unanimously adopted its submission to TMR on June 17 while the State consultation was still open.
The final submission says the upgraded Dunwich terminal should provide enough parking to “support the full transfer of all ferry services from One Mile” and that delivery of the terminal, including consolidation of ferry services, should be staged in line with the Gumpi Master Plan.
But in a response dated October 12, Council said it did not have an endorsed position on consolidation, describing it as a matter for ferry operators and the Queensland Government to decide.
Council said its adopted submission did make clear that the upgraded Dunwich terminal must be designed from the outset to accommodate multiple operators.
It also maintained that any State Government request for the Straddie Flyer to vacate One Mile should occur only after earlier Gumpi Master Plan commitments had been completed.
Those conditions include all-weather landing ability, public transport upgrades, access for the One Mile community, and sufficient parking and regulation at and surrounding the Dunwich terminal.
The wording adopted by councillors was softer than an officer draft put before the meeting.
That draft said the Straddie Flyer “must be instructed to vacate” One Mile and move to the upgraded Dunwich terminal when it opened.
After a five-minute adjournment, councillors amended the wording before passing the submission 9-0.
The issue has been pursued by Mr Fife through Council’s complaints process and a Right to Information application.
Council told Mr Fife its June submission was not based on separate new modelling or analysis specifically commissioned for future terminal arrangements.
It said officers had relied on TMR project information, Council’s earlier advocacy positions, broader feedback and planning assessments.
Council also said it had not formally endorsed changes to One Mile, characterising the June resolution as feedback to TMR rather than a decision on future ferry operations.
The State Government, as project owner, would ultimately determine any future service arrangements.
Mr Fife’s RTI application remains in progress, with Council advising the decision date had been extended to October 21 because third-party consultation was required.
