JOURNALIST: Nick Perry
THE Sea SA Spencer Gulf ferry officially resumed service at 8am today (Tuesday), with the new $12.5million ferry Aurora V making her inaugural voyage.
The Aurora V arrived in Wallaroo 13 hours ahead of schedule at 6pm last Wednesday, February 15.
It was the first time a car and passenger ferry had docked since August 2009, when the service was suspended.
The wait was longer than expected, signage initially indicating the service would resume in 2010, but any concerns the ferry was never coming back have now been erased.
The Aurora V has been custom-built to travel between Wallaroo and Lucky Bay and can carry 85 vehicles and 300 passengers.
Cruising at about 16 knots, the trip takes two hours.
Sea SA managing director Stephanie Dawson said she was excited about the ferry’s arrival, but also relieved after numerous delays.
“It has been a two-and-a-half-year project and during that time we encountered many obstacles which almost made us want to give up,” Ms Dawson conceded.
“However, we hung in there and the result is we have a beautiful new vessel to grace the Spencer Gulf.
For the full report, see the print issue of this week's YP Country Times.