PORTLAND Cable Trams has shown it has bounced back from the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns stronger than ever by carrying the highest number of passengers in its history — despite having to close for 49 extra days over the past year.
The trams carried a total of 14,859 passengers in the 2021-22 financial year, breaking the previous record in 2018-19 by more than 1000.
It was also a bounce back from two coronavirus affected years in between, when the number of passengers dipped below 11,000.
The record is all the more impressive given the tourist attraction had to close for 44 days during the year due to pandemic lockdowns, as well as five more for other reason.
In the previous record year it only had to close for 10 days, while the past two years it wasn’t open for 89 (2019-20) and 142 (2020-21) days respectively.
The new record also saw the trams bring the total number of passengers carried in 20 years of operation to 228,241.
General manager Joy Hocken told members at last week’s annual meeting that they should be proud of their efforts.
“This is a testament to the support and dedication of all the volunteers, sponsors, members and the general public alike,” she said.
“Without this contribution Portland Cable Trams would not reach the high standard and success that it does.
“(It) continues to be... a business that is generating growth year after year, is sustainable and has remained constant during some very challenging times, and yet still maintains its position as Portland’s leading tourist attraction.”
Portland Cable Trams was the only Victorian organisation of its type that resumed operations at the end of the stage five lockdown in July 2021, with the others not starting up again until December.
“It took constant work and effort to comply with the ever changing regulations of the state government and the chief health officer,” Ms Hocken said,
“All our volunteers need to be commended for their effort, continued support and being willing and able to help with the eight re-openings we have endured.
“Volunteers are the backbone of this organisation and without them Portland Cable Trams would not exist.”
However the number of volunteer hours continues to fall — to 9471 in 2021-22, up on 9200 in the previous coronavirus-affected year but well below the 13,750 the year before that and only about half the 18,542 hours in 2018-19.
Volunteers have worked a total of 261,389 hours since the trams began operating.
Des Hein — who was re-elected president for his 25th year of 27 since the trams were founded — touched on the issue when addressing the annual meeting.
“We really need next year to look at that and see if we can get more volunteers to step in and help,” he said.
“We don’t want people getting stressed out and then they leave.”
Mr Hein said he wanted to also meet the new Glenelg Shire Council Mayor Scott Martin.
“We find it difficult working with (the council),” he said.
“They don’t really recognise us enough, it’s a voluntary project.
“I’d like to fill him in on where we are and where we’ve come from.
“We can put him in the right stead that we’re part of the council.”
Mr Hein said he was also pleased to see the Portland water tower open again, filling in the ‘loop’.
“This project went from the (Powerhouse Motor and Car Museum) to the water tower and we want to make sure both those tourist attractions are working well,” he said.
Another restriction should also be lifted soon with all tram stops re-opening.
“It looks like passenger liners are back next year which should really help us and the way the weather’s going up north we might be getting them (tourists) down here.”
Mr Hein also paid tribute to Ms Hocken, who was joined as a paid employee in May by her assistant Tina Myall.
“Joy’s had a very, very stressful three years with COVID,” Mr Hein said.
“It hasn’t been easy to work this project. It’s become a lot harder but we’ve got through that with the amount of work Joy goes through with accreditation and stuff that gets done that we don’t even see gets done.
“The work that Joy puts into the business... that’s why it’s so successful.”
Along with Mr Hein, Dianne Harrison was re-elected vice-president, Terry Uniacke secretary and Pam Rietman treasurer.
Edna Uniacke and Ann Dickinson were club representatives who were successfully re-elected.
Richard Warriner was a new tram driver in 20221-22 while certificates were also presented to Bruce Caslake (100 trips), John Murfitt (500), Ed Gray (1100), Terry Uniacke (1300), Jack Holmes (1600), Michael Goldby (2300), Darryl Patterson (2600) and Ray Jones (3900, which Mr Hein said equated to 28,600 km driven).
Conductors awarded were Jarrod Hirst (100 trips), Rosemary Cole (200), Lyn Clay (300), Peter Douglas (1200), Edna Uniacke (1400), Eunice Brunt (2500) and Daphne Pascoe (3600).
