Tin Shed shelves ownership plan of Bally Hooley
BUSINESS & TOURISM
In a significant move, The Tin Shed, or the Douglas Community & Sports Club, today announced they have put on hold ownership of the Bally Hooley Steam Railways.
In October this year, Port Douglas icon John Morris ‘gifted’ the Bally Hooley Steam Railways to one of the Shire’s largest and respected not-for-profit organisations.
RELATED:
- TIN SHED GIFTED BALLY HOOLEY STEAM RAILWAY BY JOHN MORRIS
- GOLF CLUB’S DEMISE DELAYING TIN SHED’S DECK EXTENSION
In the original proposal, The Tin Shed would have taken ownership of the Bally Hooley assets, which includes not only the four locomotives – Nelson, Bundy, Speedy and the Mowbray – six carriages, and the Bally Hooley Depot and workshop.
It was also announced at the time, “to assist with the running costs associated with the Bally Hooley, the Club would also take over the popular Choo Choo’s Café at the Marina.”
But in a statement released after a special board meeting, The Tin Shed said the gifting of the Bally Hooley to the Douglas Community & Sports Club has been put on hold for the time being; due to several issues.
Kym Rowley, the General Manager of the Tin Shed, stated that John Morris has done everything possible to see the proposal proceed.
“However, unfortunately, the committee feels that due to a number of matters it currently has before them, it needed to take a step back at this stage.
“In the meantime, the club will continue to work with John and promote the Bally Hooley Rail Tours and Choo Choo’s @ the Marina to the benefit of the community, Bally Hooley Steam Railways and ourselves,” said Rowley.
The decision comes a few weeks after another of The Tin Shed’s assets, the Mossman Golf Club, was reported to be experiencing a number of challenges.
Last month, Newsport reported that loss of revenue and a shrinking membership at the Mossman Golf Club were factors impacting a delay in the deck extension at the Tin Shed.
Writing in the October newsletter, Tin Shed president Anthony Dickinson said: “It is indeed unfortunate to inform you that if we had not gone down the road of trying to assist the golf club at Mossman, our cash flow and bank balance would have suggested that our eagerly awaited deck extensions would have been a reality for a 2020 start.”
Rowley told Newsport that the club has to take a step back and establish what it is doing.
“We do not want to rush into anything. We need to look at our business and see where we are heading,” said Rowley.
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