The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Marwood » Tue 29 Mar, 2011 8:21 pm

Phil wrote:Hey guys

Is anyone able to tell me what times the ferry runs (and costs if it has changed) at the moment?? (for an Easter walk actually - late April)

Cheers

Phil

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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby vagrom » Tue 29 Mar, 2011 10:00 pm

Presumably you've seen this Phil, but just in case: Google "Tigerwilderness ferrys" and there's info that was current in November. "$38"!! So by Easter, you may not get change from $50... :P
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The service used to be *&%$#! rotten, that is, unreliable in a big way, so if the price rise has put paid to that then it can only be good for tourism. Walking up the lake will always be beautiful for me but that's as a rarely visiting mainlander. It'd be great if you could pay cheaper for them to ferry your pack up, allowing for a solid little jaunt with daypack, jacket, lunch and camera, but security for one's pack might be an issue.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Phil » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 7:09 am

Thanks guys, yeah, checked out the link. Might give it a miss; looking at options for a trip with my 6 year old boy at easter for an overnighter; leaning towards Lake Rodway/Scott Kilvert Hut at the moment.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby juju » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 11:00 am

My son and I caught the ferry up and back for a walk to Pine Valley. It was $38 adult and $19 a child (under 12). As far as I gathered if there is less than 6 people on the ferry the fee is $220 an adult. We used the ferry to save time, so we had to pay for the saving and it was a gamble I took hoping to get into the Labyrinth in the few days we had left in Tassie. I was able to call from Pine Valley on my mobile to check on the ferry availability but we cut our trip short as I was told the ferry was empty two days later. Since the increased ferry ticket was more than half the cost of my airfare from Coffs Harbour I thought we'd come back again - maybe next year. So we didn't have much time for walks from Pine Valley and had to go back on the next days ferry.
On the way up the ferry passengers were 2 walkers (us) and 10 sightseers. On the return journey there were four of us PV walkers and 10 overlanders (all walkers - no sightseers) - is that $3080?

Still it is a seasonal business that would have some very quiet times and I suppose it could be better than no ferry at all.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 11:05 am

juju wrote:On the way up the ferry passengers were 2 walkers (us) and 10 sightseers. On the return journey there were four of us PV walkers and 10 overlanders (all walkers - no sightseers) - is that $3080?


No.

14 x 38 = 532
12 x 38 = 436

532 + 436 = 968

So not $ 3080 but $968

Is that what you mean?? It's still not a bad afternoons work.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby juju » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 11:15 am

Yes that's what I mean - next time I won't use a calculator and press the wrong keys and I'll check my post and my maths before I post to avoid embarrassment :oops: ILUVSWTAS - you must think me such a dill - thanks (again) for setting me straight.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby frenchy_84 » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 11:22 am

juju wrote:As far as I gathered if there is less than 6 people on the ferry the fee is $220 an adult.


Is that true?!!!! I thought the reason why the price is so high is because they need to make there money in the summer months to make up for the lull in winter but it sounds like they rip you off all year long. Last time i caught the ferry it was over an hour delayed getting back to the vistors centre because of sightseers. Was not happy about taking a detour to the hydro pump shed which you can drive to!
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 11:29 am

Not at all juju.
I was just confused and wasnt sure if I was understanding you properly. :)

And yes thats right about the numbers being less than 6, my understanding is if you wish to use the ferry a minimum of $220 is required, so you need at least 6 people to avoid paying an arm and a leg to avoid a 4 hr lakeside walk....
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 12:37 pm

Just back on this again,

How many times a day does the ferry run, 3?? Now if the average is aroud what the above figure were, well thats a tidy day's work......

The Lakt St Clair ferry is a privately owned buisness isnt it?? As in a non PWS organisation??

Maybe PWS should take away their permit to operate in the National park and start their own ferry service.... They claim poor funding to do track work in areas like the SCT, or put toilets at Rhona.... this could be the answer to the problem. :wink:
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby frenchy_84 » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 12:45 pm

ahh. but you forget that PWS is a government organisation, so by the time a 2 year consultation process has been completed they will be already in debt, they will then employ 5 beaurcrats and lawyers and then complain that they are cash strapped to support the boat/staff doing the actual ferrying. Government departments can never do anything cost effective, so instead we get ripped off by private enterprises
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Tue 12 Apr, 2011 12:52 pm

Hehehe ahhh yes of course.

It's too logical and makes too much sense for it to be possible, thanks for reminding me Mr French!!
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby johnat » Sat 30 Apr, 2011 7:37 pm

Phil wrote:Hey guys

Is anyone able to tell me what times the ferry runs (and costs if it has changed) at the moment?? (for an Easter walk actually - late April)

Cheers

Phil

Phil,
When we were at Narcissus (17th April 2011) they ran (from memory) 0930, 1300, 1530 depending on passenger numbers. There was no 1530 run the evening we were there as there were no passengers.

Check their website at http://www.lakestclairresort.com.au/node/8 for more details.

Be aware that there is a MINIMUM charge (from memory, $125 but check the website) and that they require a call from Narcissus on the radio in the hut to confirm your intention, even if you've pre-booked. We pre-booked, and that would seem to be a reasonable option, as you can always cancel by radio if you decide to walk it out.

I don't quite understand the complaints about cost. You pays or nit, depending on what you want! If the cost is too high for you, then walking is an option. If you don't want to/cannot walk then pay the ferryman! It is not as if they have a captive audience.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby corvus » Sat 30 Apr, 2011 8:14 pm

Yes John I agree with you no one really needs to take the Ferry (other than weekenders to Pine Valley et al)) and we have always enjoy the walk around the Lake especially overnight at Echo Point and indeed are looking forward to it at the end of May :)
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby tasadam » Mon 02 May, 2011 1:11 pm

Took a trip to Narcissus around September last year and paid the minimum charge of $200 as there was no-one else going in and no booked pickups. Don't know if it's changed since then.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Mon 02 May, 2011 1:19 pm

I think the minimum now is $228
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Drifting » Sun 08 May, 2011 7:13 pm

How can the Lake St Clair ferry cost $76 return, and the Maria Island ferry only $50.

Rip off!
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Sun 08 May, 2011 7:20 pm

Drifting wrote:How can the Lake St Clair ferry cost $76 return, and the Maria Island ferry only $50.

Rip off!



Because they can. :(
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby doogs » Sun 08 May, 2011 8:43 pm

ILUVSWTAS wrote:
Drifting wrote:How can the Lake St Clair ferry cost $76 return, and the Maria Island ferry only $50.

Rip off!



Because they can. :(

and we got to Scouten Island for $100 each return. :D
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Mon 09 May, 2011 1:30 am

doogs wrote:
ILUVSWTAS wrote:
Drifting wrote:How can the Lake St Clair ferry cost $76 return, and the Maria Island ferry only $50.

Rip off!



Because they can. :(

and we got to Scouten Island for $100 each return. :D



Yep, on our own private charter boat. :wink:
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ULWalkingPhil » Wed 18 May, 2011 11:30 am

That is way to much to spend on a short ferry ride, I'm going to walk around the lake and give the ferry a miss.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Neil Grose » Wed 18 May, 2011 6:47 pm

Don't confuse turnover with profit - as a past driver on the ferry and a past owner of commercial small boats (trout guiding), I can painfully tell you that there are massive hidden costs - MAST survey fees, paying the driver (about $200 a day + employment costs), fuel (each return trip uses around 40l), insurance (try getting a quote on a ferry in a remote area that can carry 21 passengers with no marine emergency services within 200km), regular servicing (about $750 a visit four times a year) and so on.

The Ida Clair may be an old boat, but it still costs a lot of money to run, plus I guess the owners will be starting to think about re-powering the Honda engines (they had 2500 hours on them 4 years ago), and that won't leave much change from 60K - I think a 225hp Honda is about 30k these days. Once you amortise these sorts of costs plus trying to make a quid, it doesn't really leave much for the rainy days that commercial boat ownership always encounters.

I've no doubt that they turn a profit from the boat, as they are entitled to do, but just doing the maths on what they charge isn't a fair way to look at it.

And has been pointed out plenty of times, you can walk for nothing from Narcissus to Cynthia Bay.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Scottyk » Mon 22 Sep, 2014 9:35 am

Just booked the ferry.
Price up to $40 each way with the potential surprise of paying the full minimum fee of $240 on they way back if there isn't enough of us.
Time to open it up to some competition I reckon.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby DanShell » Mon 22 Sep, 2014 9:39 am

Scottyk wrote:Just booked the ferry.
Price up to $40 each way with the potential surprise of paying the full minimum fee of $240 on they way back if there isn't enough of us.
Time to open it up to some competition I reckon.


Thats a bit of a concern. What dictates how many of you there are? Do you mean if some of your group booking don't turn up or do you have to reply on others being there to meet the minimum requirements?
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby DanShell » Mon 22 Sep, 2014 9:40 am

DanShell wrote:
Scottyk wrote:Just booked the ferry.
Price up to $40 each way with the potential surprise of paying the full minimum fee of $240 on they way back if there isn't enough of us.
Time to open it up to some competition I reckon.


Thats a bit of a concern. What dictates how many of you there are? Do you mean if some of your group booking don't turn up or do you have to rely on others being there to meet the minimum requirements?
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Aztec » Mon 22 Sep, 2014 10:17 am

I may have to look seriously at kayaking up Lake St Clair and back...
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Scottyk » Mon 22 Sep, 2014 11:35 am

DanShell wrote:
DanShell wrote:
Scottyk wrote:Just booked the ferry.
Price up to $40 each way with the potential surprise of paying the full minimum fee of $240 on they way back if there isn't enough of us.
Time to open it up to some competition I reckon.


Thats a bit of a concern. What dictates how many of you there are? Do you mean if some of your group booking don't turn up or do you have to rely on others being there to meet the minimum requirements?

There is 3 of us going up the lake on Friday, all fine there as they must have enough others booked on that trip.
The journey back we have booked on the last ferry at 3:30pm, at the moment we are the only 3 booked which means if others don't turn up to help us out with numbers we will be stung with the $240 to get home.
A monopoly gives a business the room to set up cost structures like this. Parks should look at this I think
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby scroggin » Thu 19 Jul, 2018 3:34 pm

Sorry to bump an old thread but I just got told by LSC lodge that the ferry cost will be $50 for my December Overland walk. Thats despite their website listing the price at $40. 25% increase and 100% increase in 10 years. Wish my income went up that fast.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby ILUVSWTAS » Thu 19 Jul, 2018 4:11 pm

Seems it's a fine line between progress and greed.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Nuts » Thu 19 Jul, 2018 5:18 pm

Get rid of the &&(*)(# thing.. then we'll all happily walk. Wouldn't be the end of world.

If it's just the money, there may be some reprieve in sight, from among the greedy:


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-22/l ... er/9347912

ps.. expect a similar free-for-all on a Cable Cars.
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Re: The price of the Lake St Clair ferry

Postby Mutley » Thu 19 Jul, 2018 8:52 pm

+1 on the walk. A final night at Echo Point is a great finish to a trip. Does need some tent platforms though. I would be happy to support a boycott of the ferry until the price is decreased.
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