It's been a few years since we travelled to the mainland on the Spirit of Tasmania. The ship leaves from Devonport each evening and arrives in Geelong the next morning. It used to travel to Melbourne but driving off the ship and being faced with the morning traffic in Australia's second city was less than ideal. The Tasmanian Government has to replace the ships from time to time and, in fact, a new one is on order at the moment.
I don't bother with the details but, apparently, one is on order from some ship-builder in Europe and is expected at any time. It won't be this week though because, on a Youtube video this morning, I saw the ship tied up in the Port of Leith in Scotland.
It seems the ship is completed but they are waiting for new port facilities to be built in Devonport before it can be brought here. There was some talk that the UK Government was keen to charter it as a floating detention centre for illegal immigrants but nothing came of it. Some local pollies were keen s there could be a few quid in it but the premier has said No.
In any case, I was one of the first Tasmanians to see the new ship and I can say that it really exists.
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