A few days after I wrote the post about the end of the water taxi business on the Derwent River indicating my sadness for such short sightedness by the community and government agencies, I have discovered another sad tale. It was with horror I read the story at http://www.news.com.au/national/tasmania/tasmanian-air-adventures-in-liquidation/story-fnn32rbc-1227328240883.
Tasmanian Air Adventures, despite being incredibly popular and forever in the air over the Derwent River, has not been able to recoup its establishment expenses and get into a profit position. The result is the owners have run out of money and the business has gone into liquidation.
The outcome has been immediately clear to me. I had become used to seeing, many times a day, the water planes lifting off from the waters of Salamanca Cove in the centre of Hobart, and flying along the Derwent River. And now only seagulls fly where once flew entranced tourists and locals.
In a city which has one of the best waterways in the world, Hobart is missing the opportunity which any other city in such a location would be grabbing and making work. Blog followers keep telling me how much they enjoy my photos and information about what can be seen at the shoreline of the Derwent River. I feel sure others would feel the pleasure which the river can offer, as well as appreciating its functionality to transport them hither and thither.
Years ago the Tasman Bridge was accidentally knocked down and immediately people became used to ferrying across the Derwent River/Harbour to and from work. The concept that the river is a lifeline and a connector of peoples; one which wants to be used, seems not to be factored into any level of serious government thinking. Meanwhile valuable resources are used to create more and more city carparks. Say no to car parks, I say. Say yes to ferry and air travel along the river.
Walking the Derwent River 
Ah, the issue of financial viability rears its ugly head yet again! Whilst all this sounds great, at some stage Tasmanian’s have to stop expecting handouts from the government (state and federal) to keep propping up businesses in Tassie. Sorry, but it’s the sad truth of the fact. Tassie’s population cannot support a financially viable ferry or air service for the Hobart waterways! Yep, it may be nice and coming from Tassie I can see the appeal but the reality is, it comes down to numbers, and Tassie just doesn’t have that on its side!
Beautiful state, lovely people, great food and wine, but until you get a government with foresight (someone like a Jim Bacon who was sadly taken way too early) the state will continue to stagnate and go backwards. Where’s all the innovation and investment? Promised for so long, never delivered.
Not what you want to read but that’s how it is.
Liz
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Of course you are right … I continue to daydream that people will see advantages in these services and support them; but they don’t and they won’t. And that is all a shame. The current Tasmanian governmental ‘vision’ is to build a light rail to the northern suburbs. Even without doing the sums myself I know this cannot stack up financially. And I might even decide to make this one of my ‘passions’ and try and derail it.
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