Expanding Horizons: Tourism

In 1981, tourist traffic resumed on the Bremer. Michael Nye, manager of the tourist boat company Hayles, made an exploratory trip up the river on the Mingela in February. Ipswich City Council constructed a simple set of stairs along River Road to allow passengers to disembark and the Army Reserve helped clean up the river in November.

On the opening day in December 1981, three boats – Captain Cook, Mirana and Mingela – brought 520 visitors to Ipswich. The first trip was a success and was repeated at intervals, usually with one group coming to Ipswich by boat and returning by bus, while a second group made the reverse trip. The trips were only possible on extreme high tides. Michael Nye took over the company as “Mirimar Cruises” and continued operating them for a few years. However he said that the increasing problems of silting, together with a fear of damage from snags, eventually led to the cessation of the service.

The cruise vessels Lady Brisbane and Kookaburra River Queen still made trips as far as the Junction in the early 2000's. The only remaining tourist service able to reach Ipswich was the Cat O’Nine Tails. This catamaran has a shallow draft and could go as far as the Town Reach on a king tide, but only as far as the Junction on other occasions. The owners operated tours only as required, usually for groups.