Bruny Island Ferry Final Report
Bruny Island receives around 15% of all visitors to Tasmania, and visitors rate it second only to Cradle Mountain as the state’s best experience. The ferry is the only way for most of them to get there.
Destination Southern Tasmania commissioned episteme to independently examine whether ferry capacity was constraining tourism businesses on and around the island, and if so, by how much. We drew on visitor survey data, public queue updates and conversations with operators. We spoke with 20 businesses that together engage with at least half of all visitors to the island.
We found capacity at peak times, from November to Easter, was having a significant impact on the industry. The report makes five recommendations to turn the ferry from a constraint into an enabler of the visitor economy. These include matching capacity and timetables to peak demand, and being clear about what the service is there to achieve.