A Tasmanian caravan park owner says the value of his business has halved due to the state’s ongoing ferry crisis, forcing him to shelve retirement plans and temporarily shut down.
Gavin Imlach, who runs the Latrobe Mersey River Caravan Park, spent $150,000 upgrading his site in anticipation of a promised 40% tourism boost from the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries, which are now several years behind schedule.
“Since the s–t show with the ships, my business is worth half of what it was prior to the fiasco,” Imlach told reporters alongside Labor leader Dean Winter.
“It’s a disaster. This government has crucified my business, my staff and my future.”
Imlach said he hired live-in managers and expanded his facilities based on official advice encouraging tourism operators to gear up for increased demand.
“I put $150,000 into building the caravan park to cope with an extra 40% occupancy. That was what I was told to do by our leaders,” he said.
But he said he received no direct updates about ferry delays, only finding out through the media.
He also noted the complete absence of mainland visitors over the critical Christmas period late last year.
“During November to December, my caravan park was devoid of foreign number plates. We didn’t have any mainland visitors,” Imlach said.
“The question’s been asked of the TT-Line with gobbledygook responses. Nobody came on them ships from the mainland during those three months from October through to December.”
“I’m closing on Wednesday … I can’t see any sense in staying open.”
Labor leader Dean Winter said the government had failed tourism operators across the state.
“The whole state was awash with a message from the government to get ready for our new spirits,” Winter said.
“Businesses like Gavin’s were making the investments because they were told to. There were preparations underway by everyone except for one organisation – the Tasmanian Liberal government.”
According to ferry operator TT-Line, 2,500 caravans and 1,400 motorhomes arrived via the ships in November and December last year.
