Macleay Island residents fight for public transport amid independence concerns

Melanie Lynch loves her island home off the Brisbane coast, but says it comes at the cost of her independence.

More than 3,000 people live on Macleay Island, but there are no public transport services.

Ms Lynch, who has a physical disability, said that without a bus service, it can be hard getting around the island in the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

"The length of the island is 6 kilometres, and we can't get to the ferry unless we have a car," she said.

For residents going to and from the ferry terminal without a car, it means traversing a steep incline dubbed "Angina Hill" by locals.

Angina is a medical term used to describe severe chest pain, which can be caused by exertion.

"There's been many people feeling very unwell on that hill," Ms Lynch said.

The retired college lecturer has lodged a disability discrimination complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission against the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

She received confirmation this month it was waiting to be actioned by the commission.

"People with disabilities should be able to live independently, but I'm not able to on this island," she said.

Ms Lynch said the island had a "very high percentage" of people who would benefit from the bus service because they were elderly, were elderly, had a disability or chronic health conditions.

"Many of the people who live here will say, 'We pay our rates along with everybody else … Why can't we get a TransLink bus service?'" she said.

An Australian Human Rights Commission spokesperson said it does not comment on or release information about individual complaints.

More than 2,000 sign petition

In November, Ms Lynch began collecting signatures for a petition to state parliament.

The petition was backed by 2,091 people, but it was rejected by the Queensland government last month.

In his formal response to Ms Lynch's petition, Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said he understood how important accessible transport was to local communities but said services needed to be "well-utilised" and "represent value for money".

He noted there had been bus service trials on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands in 2004 and 2025, along with a private initiative that commenced in 2019 but ceased operations in 2020–21.

"Trials were discontinued due to low demand," Mr Mickelberg said.

He said Macleay Island had a low population density, with an estimated three to four dwellings per hectare.

"Under my department's service planning guidelines, public transport services are generally considered viable in areas with a minimum residential density of seven dwellings per hectare," Mr Mickelberg said.

He said projects and funding needs were regularly reviewed.

He also noted that under the Queensland Human Rights Act, the absence of a public transport service does not restrict freedom of movement.

Mr Mickelberg said the legislation was designed to protect individuals from barriers imposed by government actions, "rather than to create an obligation for the government to provide specific transport services".

He was contacted for further comment.

Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said the island's settlement pattern meant "high operating costs and insufficient demand, making regular public transport services unviable at this time".

'Lamb Van' solution by neighbouring island

A ferry stop away, residents on Lamb Island also don't have access to public transport, so they've created their own volunteer-run bus service.

The nine-seater bus, known as the Lamb Van, is owned by the Lamb Island Recreation Club.

Groups pay a flat $5 fee for a ride to go anywhere on the island, but trips to the club are free.

Tony Gilson, who has been driving the van for the last three years, said on busy days the volunteers would do around 40 trips on the small island.

"This service is probably as good as we would need," he said.

Mr Gilson said Lamb Island would not have the population or the demand for public transport.

"Of course, the community would take it up, but realistically, we're only about 600 people," he said.

Mr Gilson said Ms Lynch had a "sound case" for a bus service on Macleay Island.

Ms Lynch said she had been in conversations with the local state MP about starting a working group with other community members to discuss the option of using a community transport provider.

She said it was a "positive development", but said, "residents with disabilities and mobility limitations still currently have no practical transport solution".

"So, the focus now needs to be on implementation, timelines and outcomes".