Tourist firm wants to swap vessels

Tourist operator Southern Discoveries has applied for resource consent to swap a 200-seat boat for the 45-seat boat it currently operates on Lake Wakatipu.

The company is not seeking to alter any of the conditions it currently operates the 45-seat Queenstown Princess under, but has applied for small changes under food preparation and liquor sales to cater for the larger number of passengers.

The Lady of the Sounds carried passengers on the Milford Sound, but is being refurbished at Bluff.

It is planned the vessel will be trucked to Kingston and then be transferred to Lake Wakatipu.

The Lady of the Sounds will berth at the Lapsley-Butson wharf in Queenstown Bay.

The wharf was judged by the company to be able to accommodate passenger queues "except perhaps at peak times".

At peak summer periods Southern Discoveries anticipates that passengers will assemble in small groups at Earnslaw Park while waiting to board.

No formal queuing would occur in the public reserve, the application stated.

The company put forward a voluntary condition not to operate in the Frankton Arm between 10pm and 8am.

Southern Discoveries general manager John Robson was unable to be contacted for comment on when the anticipated vessel swap would happen. No-one else from the company was authorised to comment.

grant.bryant@stl.co.nz

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