Alternative Ferry Service to Tasmania?

hi
the Ferry you speak of was one of Bob Cliffords hi speed catamarrans the crossing went from George town to Port Welshpool. The crossing was made in approx 4 hours Because of its pitching motion as it crossed Bass strait it was know amongst the locals as the "Vomit Comet" The worst job amongst the crew?? The poor guy with the Wet and Dry vacumn cleaner oh yuck!!

hi
the Ferry you speak of was one of Bob Cliffords hi speed catamarrans the crossing went from George town to Port Welshpool. The crossing was made in approx 4 hours Because of its pitching motion as it crossed Bass strait it was know amongst the locals as the "Vomit Comet" The worst job amongst the crew?? The poor guy with the Wet and Dry vacumn cleaner oh yuck!!

It was a wave piercing catamaran actually.

Yeah, it was taken out of service because the sea was too rough too often. Even when the sea was supposedly smooth enough, it was nicknamed "The Seasick Express" (as well as some even less flattering names) as it was about the fastest and most reliable method for causing seasickness. The good news was you were only on it for a few hours. The bad news was that once you reach dry land, seasickness doesn't stop, it just stops getting worse! :-/

They must have changed the pricing structure - when I went on it, taking your car was subsidised (by the Federal Government) as to forms part of the National Highway network. The price depended on the length of your rig - you paid very little (or nothing during off-peak times) for a rig 5 but <6m long (ie. a car with a bike rack). Once you went over 6m (ie. a motorhome or car with trailer, caravan, etc.) then the extra length wasn't subsidised so you paid the full rate for the extra length - it started to add up pretty quickly for eaqch extra metre length from memory.

Hi Timbo

Back in 2005 when we were planning our 2006 trip, we spoke to farmers who had taken a trailer across, and they told us theirs was not subsidised, and we would get a subsidy for the caravan that they couldn't get. The website confirms this is still current.

Spirit of Tasmania Trailer Fees

Extract: "The prices listed include the deduction of the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme rebate of $183 for a standard car and trailer and $366 for a standard car towing a caravan or a motorhome/campervan."

Ok, I'm don't remember any difference between trailers and caravans in 2001 or 2002/03 but I remember the price went up quite steeply for each metre over 6m length. I was back there in Jan 07 but I must admit I didn't look at prices for trailers etc. in great detail because we were <5m length (just) anyway.

If you ever take a van over, chuck a bed in the back and call it a campervan.... much more economic.

It was cheaper for us to take or camper trailer over because it was our accommodation, coming back with a normal trailer about 3 foot shorter cost us more because there was no gov subsidy. They asked is it a camper trailer or standard, my wife said "standard" and they said "it will be a bit dearer then."
It does not matter what form it takes, if it is your accommodation then you get the subsidy. Once you go over the length of the car it goes by the metre.
I just rang and got a qoute over the phone and are as follows
Car with camper trailer at 9 metres long $229 + $115 for driver (Gov subsidy included)
Car with standard trailer at 9 metres $412 + $115 for driver (no subsidy)
Car with standard trailer at 7 metres $276 + $115 for the driver(no subsidy)
These were quoted as off peak with no specials ect.. You can get the drivers fare cheaper with

Josh