Tag: daintree bridge

Is a bridge still on the agenda? Is Council going to buy the ferry and operate it? What are they going to do about the traffic queues? How much is all this going to cost the ratepayer?

Today’s featured Letter to the Editor addresses claims of a proposed bridge over the Daintree River being more environmentally friendly than. the ferry. “Members of Douglas Shire Sustainability Group (DSSG) have participated in the Douglas Shire Council’s process which is aimed at determining the appetite of residents and others for a bridge over a two ferry system, as a means of crossing the Daintree River. As the arguments in favour of a bridge have been eroded, we have noted that proponents are sticking with two arguments to support their claim that a bridge is less environmentally damaging than a ferry.”

The Douglas Shire Council’s ‘Daintree River Crossing – Options Assessment Report’ gives the costs of the four bridge options as between $53 and $75 million with the average of $60 million compared to the double ferry option of $2.8 million. The two lowest cost bridge options require the clearing of endangered forest types. It is highly unlikely that permits would be issued to clear this endangered vegetation when there are other options .

A “Save the Daintree, Again” campaign is being launched by a coalition of local and national conservation groups who see the push for a bridge over the Daintree River, coastal road upgrade and reticulated electricity as a threat to the areas’ Outstanding Universal Values, the foundation of its World Heritage Listing.

Learn why a proposed Daintree Bridge may saddle the Douglas Shire Council and its ratepayers with over $60 million in debt…

The Daintree River Crossing Options Assessment Report, while meeting basic Council requirements, is woefully inadequate for such an environmentally sensitive area, and will undoubtedly receive national and international scrutiny and criticism.”