An aerial view of Apollo Bay port.

TASMANIAN farmers have called for Victorian Government intervention to give King Island livestock farmers port access at Apollo Bay.

The shipping company, Bass Strait Freight, has been seeking access to Victoria’s Apollo Bay since 2022 to transport cattle and other produce to and from King Island to Victoria.

However, earlier this year when King Island farmers needed drought fodder delivered from Victoria, Colac Otway Shire denied Apollo Bay port access and council chief executive officer Anne Howard it is not a commercial trading port.

“Council has received an independent engineering report that has assessed that freight movements of this scale present risks to the port’s infrastructure and operations,” she said.

Sheep Central has been told there have been discussions between the Tasmanian and Victorian governments over the issue, but no solution has been finalised.

King Island cattle and sheep producers currently have limited processing options on Tasmania, and Apollo Bay is the closest mainland commercial port to the island. Tasfarmers said other port access into Victoria exists at Geelong, Port Melbourne, Welshpool and Portland, but these other ports are twice the distance from the port of Grassy on King Island. It’s unacceptable that livestock need to be on the vessel for twice the time and much greater expense than is necessary, the farmer body said.

The Bass Straight Freight Company is seeking to re-establish freight service between Flinders Island, King Island and Victoria. However, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority took over management of the port on July 1 and the port manager retains the authority to grant or deny access.

Mr Sauer said Tasmania once had a service between King Island and Melbourne that serviced 80 percent of the Island’s freight needs. It was cancelled in 2022 when the Tasmanian government-owned shipping service Bass Island Line withdrew the service.

“Now we have a private Tasmanian business willing to step in to restore the essential direct link to Victoria, but they are being stonewalled by red and green tape. It’s disgraceful and nothing short of schmozzle,” he said.

“We know the Apollo Bay wharf can accommodate the boats.

“Under more cooperative port management, the same vessel ran to Apollo Bay from King Island for 12 years,” he said.

He said the vessel seeking to berth at Apollo Bay has operated out of similar ports in Tasmania and Welshpool for nearly three decades.

“The operator has submitted more than enough evidence, made more than enough concessions, and even proposed to run a trial to give authorities confidence in the service, all we can conclude is Victoria is closed for business,” Mr Sauer said.