Tasmania

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Air Services

Tasmania has four main airports, located at Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie (Wynyard). Hobart airport has facilities for international airtraffic and passengers, however there is no regular service currently operating.

The two major islands in Bass Strait are serviced by King Island Airport and Whitemark Airport (Flinders Island).

Passenger

Tasmania is serviced by four Australian airlines: Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Blue, and Tiger Airways, which provide services from Hobart and Launceston airports.

Five regional airlines also provide scheduled and charter passenger services: Airlines of Tasmania, Aus-Air, King Island Airlines, Regional Express (REX), and Tasair.

Freight

The major domestic air freight carrier is Australian Air Express. It provides a regular, timetabled freight service, using dedicated freighters, out of Hobart and Launceston airports. Australian Air Express and Virgin Blue provide freight carriage on passenger services.

Charter freight services are available from a number of air operators based in Tasmania and on mainland Australia.

Road Services

In Tasmania there are approximately 3,650 km of roads and more than 1,280 bridges which are owned and managed by the State Government. Local councils, Hydro Tasmania, forestry companies and other private business own and manage remaining roads and structures.

Table 1: Road Lengths Open to Public (km)

Source: Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources.

The Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources (DIER) has responsibility for the provision, management and maintenance of State classified roads. Each local council has the same responsibility for classified local highways in their municipality.

Passenger

Passenger bus services are provided Statewide:

• Metro provides services in Launceston, Burnie and Hobart;
• Merseylink services Devonport;
• Hobart Coaches service Kingston and other Southern suburbs of Hobart; and
• Redline and Tigerline provide regional bus services.

Major taxi companies include:

• Central Cabs (Launceston)/ City Cabs (Hobart) - 131 008
• Taxi Combined Services - 132 227
• Yellow Cab Co - 131 924

Regional taxi services can be found using the Yellow Pages web site.

Freight

Major freight services are provided by a variety of companies offering a range of transport solutions.

Rail Services

The Tasmanian rail network is a freight system and there are no passenger services other than for some small tourist railways. The rail network connects all major ports, cities and some major resource areas. The rail network comprises approximately 700km of permanent way and structures.

Freight

The freight operation is run by Pacific National (a subsidiary of Asciano Limited). Their trains carry bulk goods and containers including cement, paper, paper pulp, coal, zinc, mineral concentrates, timber, timber products and logs.

Rail lines go to all four major ports, where there are intermodal facilities for loading and unloading.

Table 2: Loading Points (active and inactive)

Source: Pacific National Tasmania.

The Pacific National Tasmanian head office is in Launceston, with other main Tasmanian depots in Hobart, Devonport and Burnie.

The rail network reverted to State ownership in January 2007, meaning there is the potential for other operators to use parts of the network. This creates the real possibility of competition in rail services. In light of the importance of rail in carrying freight in Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government jointly agreed with the Australian Government to provide a Rail Rescue Package. The conditions of the Rail Rescue Package are contained in the Rail Management and Maintenance Deed signed between PN and the Tasmanian Government. Under these arrangements, PN will continue to operate the rail network and act as the track manager on behalf of the Government.

Further information can be obtained from the Rail Management Unit on (03) 6233 9687.

Tourist Railways

The West Coast Wilderness Railway, is a 34km line between Queenstown and Strahan on the west coast. The Don River Railway in Devonport operates a 4km line from Don to Coles Beach and owns 4 steam and 3 diesel locomotives. Their line is connected to the State rail network, and this allows the company to run occasional tourist and school group excursions to other parts of the State.

Other small tourist railways include the:

• Derwent Valley Rail at New Norfolk (services have currently been suspended);
• Ida Bay railway at Ida Bay;
• Wee Georgie Wood at Tullah;
• Evandale light rail; and
• Redwater Creek Railway at Sheffield.

Shipping Services

The Tasmanian Ports Corporation Pty Ltd (TasPorts) is responsible for the operation and management of all ports in Tasmania.

TasPorts is a registered, private company fully owned by the Tasmanian Government.

The company was created following the amalgamation of the state's four port companies - Hobart Ports Corporation Pty Ltd, Port of Launceston Pty Ltd, Port of Devonport Corporation Pty Ltd and Burnie Port Corporation Pty Ltd - on 1 January 2006.

Tasports' head office is located at 48 Formby Road, Devonport.

Passenger

The cost of transporting passenger vehicles across Bass Strait is subsidised by the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme.

The Scheme includes ferry travel between:

• Devonport and Melbourne (TT-line);
• Flinders Island and Port Welshpool, Victoria (Southern Shipping);
• Bridport and Port Welshpool, Victoria (Southern Shipping); and
• King Island and Melbourne (Toll Group. Nb: This service carries vehicles only, passengers must fly on a commercial air service).

The TT-Line provides two passenger vessels - the Spirit of Tasmania I and Spirit of Tasmania II travel daily between Devonport and Melbourne.

The Southern Shipping Company operates a weekly shipping service between Bridport (Tasmania) and Flinders Island. This service can accommodate vehicles and passengers. It operates a service from Flinders Island to Port Welshpool as demand requires.

Within Tasmania a vehicle and passenger ferry cervice operate a regular daily services to Bruny Island departing Kettering and two passenger services operate to Maria Island departing from Orford and Triabunna.

Freight

Tasmania is serviced by a number of regular domestic and international shipping services. 99.6% of Tasmania's interstate and international trade is by sea.

The major deep-water ports are Hobart, Launceston/Bell Bay, Burnie and Devonport. All have facilities for containerised, bulk goods and general freight.

Regular general freight services run between Flinders Island and Bridport and between King Island Devonport and Melbourne.

The main timetabled freight shipping providers in Tasmania are Toll Shipping, Toll Group, ANL, Southern Shipping and TTLine.

Table 3: Freight Providers by Port of Call

Source: Shipping companies websites.

An international container service to Singapore is operated out of Bell Bay/Launceston by the South East Asian AAA consortium. From Singapore AAA member lines service other global destinations including Asia and Europe.

The Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, administered by Centrelink, provides financial assistance to shippers of freight between Tasmania and mainland Australia, to provide equal opportunities for Tasmanian industries to compete in mainland markets. It has both a northbound and southbound component. The southbound component applies only to equipment and raw materials of Australian origin used as inputs to the mining, manufacturing, agricultural, fishing and forestry industries in Tasmania.