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Sydney Ferries

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Sydney ferry network and the government ferry operator. For the 1861–1951 ferry operator, see Sydney Ferries Limited.

Sydney Ferries
An Emerald Class ferry
An Emerald Class ferry
Roundel
Roundel
Overview
OwnerTransport for NSW
Area servedPort Jackson
LocaleSydney
Transit typePassenger ferry
Number of lines10
Operation
Operator(s)Transdev Sydney Ferries
Number of vehicles41
House Flag

Sydney Ferries is the public transport ferry network serving the city of Sydney, New South Wales. Services operate on Sydney Harbour and the connecting Parramatta River. The network is controlled by the New South Wales Government's transport authority, Transport for NSW, and is part of the authority's Opal ticketing system. In 2017–18, 15.3 million passenger journeys were made on the network.

A Sydney RiverCat and a Parramatta River-class ferry at Mortlake.

Services are operated under contract by Transdev Sydney Ferries. Sydney Ferries Corporation is the state government agency that owns the ferry fleet.

History

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See also: List of Sydney Harbour ferries and Timeline of Sydney Harbour ferries

Early services

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Sydney's ferry services can trace their general origins as far back as the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove where in 1789, a small boat provided a link between Sydney Cove and the farming settlement of Parramatta. The first vessel, officially named the Rose Hill Packet (otherwise known as 'The Lump'), was a hoy crafted by convicts and powered by sails and oars. Return trips between Sydney Cove and Parramatta could take a week to complete.

The ex-convict, Billy Blue, thought to be a Jamaican, provided a cross harbour rowboat from Dawes Point to Blues Point. By 1830, he was running what is thought to be Sydney first regular ferry service.[1] The same year, a regular service was set up between Balmoral Beach and Balgowlah that shortened the otherwise long bush journey between Sydney and Manly and Northern Beaches.[1] As time progressed, a series of rowboat ferrymen set up small operations to transport people from either side of Sydney Harbour. However, the first proper, steam-powered ferry services that could operate regardless of wind and tide appeared in the 1830s and 1840s.

Parramatta River services

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North Sydney was still not a heavily populated area in the 1830s, however, Parramatta was growing. The first Australian-built steamship, PS Surprise was launched in 1831 and commenced regular, timetabled services to Parramatta on 1 June 1831. The service, however, was not financially successful and the vessel was sold to Hobart in 1832.[1] It was followed by numerous further steam ferries operated by various business partnerships until the Parramatta River Steam Co, was formed in 1865. Due to the considerable costs of building wharfs, boatman would wait for ferries along the river and for a fee would row ferry passengers ashore. One of two punts near the current Gladesville Bridge was for river ferry passengers and was operated by boatmen. The other punt, Bedlam Ferry, carried main road traffic across the river.

Sydney Ferries Limited

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Main article: Sydney Ferries Limited
A Sydney Ferry SHAMROCK leaving Sydney Cove en route to Figtree, Lane Cove River, in 1901

Cross-harbour steam ferry services began in 1842 and this business grew to such an extent that a public company was formed, the North Shore Steam Ferry Co. Ltd. in 1878.[2]

In 1900, the North Shore company was reincorporated as Sydney Ferries Limited (SFL), which progressively took over most other harbour ferry services (except notably the Manly service operated by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company), and eventually became the world's largest ferry operator by fleet size and patronage. In addition to the vessels acquired in the takeovers, it procured in its own name over the following years some 30 large passenger and vehicular ferries known as the K-class. After the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in March 1932, SFL patronage dropped almost overnight, decreasing from 44 to 20 million passengers per year.

Manly services

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See also: Manly ferry services and Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company
Dee Why in the early 1930s with the Sydney Harbour Bridge under construction

The first direct link between Sydney and Manly was arranged by Henry Gilbert Smith in 1855 when he chartered a paddle steamer, Huntress, to service the subdivision of his land near The Corso. Further ferries were chartered over following years until, in 1859, the first larger double-ender ferry on the Manly run, Phantom, was put into service by a new business partnership established to operate the ferries. Extra boats, including tugs, were also chartered for use on weekends and holidays due to the popularity of Manly's beaches and coves. A new company, Port Jackson Steamboat Co. Ltd., was formed in 1877. The company was reincorporated in 1881 as Port Jackson Steamship Co. Ltd., and further new vesels were acquired, the largest being the 1883 double-ended paddle steamer, Brighton. At 67 metres (220 ft) in length, it was the largest ferry on Sydney Harbour, and with a high level of appointment, it was a passenger favourite.

Manly (II) was designed by renowned naval architect, Walter Reeks and was the first double-ended screw ferry on the Manly run. In 1901, Reeks also designed the Kuring-gai, a steel, double-ended screw steamer that in its appearance, size and capacity, was the first of the familiar Manly ferries of the twentieth century. To meet the expanding demand, the now reincorporated Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company commissioned six similar double-ended screw steamers: Binngarra (1905), Burra Bra (1908), Bellubera (1910), Balgowlah (1912), Barrenjoey (1913), and Baragoola (1922).[3] In 1928, two new ferries built in Scotland, Curl Curl and Dee Why were commissioned. They were the largest and fastest ferries on the harbour until 1938 when the Company commissioned South Steyne also built in Scotland.

The three Scottish-built steamers and the remainder of the Binngarra type vessels were pulled out of service over the course of the 1960s and 1970s as the Manly service and its vessels declined. The exceptions, Baragoola and Barrenjoey (later renamed North Head), remained in service into the 1980s until the introduction of the Freshwater-class ferries which remain in service.[3] In 1965, a hydrofoil service was introduced roughly halving the travel time of the ferries but with significantly higher fares. The hydrofoils were replaced in 1990 by Jetcats, however, these proved unreliable and expensive and were replaced by the current Manly fast ferry service.

Government takeover

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In 1951, the NSW Government intervened in response to the financial difficulties of SFL and agreed to take over its fleet. The assets were taken over by the Sydney Harbour Transport Board with operations and maintenance contracted to the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company. In 1967, the first of the new Lady-class ferry were ordered. Brambles Transport Industries took over the Port Jackson & Manly Steam Ship Company. In 1974, the NSW State Government took over the services initially through the auspices of the Public Transport Commission (1974–1980), then the Urban Transit Authority (1980–1989), State Transit Authority (1989–2004) and Sydney Ferries Corporation (2004–2012).

The Walker Report

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On 3 April 2007 the New South Wales Government appointed Bret Walker, a Senior Counsel, to undertake a commission of inquiry into Sydney Ferries' operations.[4] Submissions to Walker's inquiry were critical of many aspects of the operation of Sydney Ferries from fare levels and infrequent services to the design of gangways and the choice of potentially unsafe livery colours for some vessels.[5] Walker's report,[6] delivered in November 2007,[7] was highly critical of the Ferries management, industrial relations and government interference. Walker made several major recommendations including the urgent replacement of the entire ageing fleet of vessels and handing day-to-day operations over to a private sector operator whilst the NSW government retained the fleet and other assets, in public ownership.[8]

In 2008, the NSW Government called for private sector bids to provide ferry services under a services contract,[9] however the government later decided to keep Sydney Ferries as a state owned and operated entity. On 1 January 2009, Sydney Ferries ceased to be a state-owned corporation and became a NSW Government agency.[10]

In February 2009, private operator Bass & Flinders Cruises took over the high speed jet cat service to Manly.[8][11] In April 2010, the NSW Government decided the service contract would remain with the Sydney Ferries Corporation.[9]

Contracting

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Borrowdale passing Barangaroo Reserve in 2018

In 2011, following a change in state government, it was decided to contract out the operation of Sydney Ferries to the private sector, with the government retaining ownership of both the Balmain Maintenance Facility and the ferry fleet, under the agency Sydney Ferries.[12]

On 28 July 2012, Harbour City Ferries, a 50/50 joint venture between Transfield Services (later Broadspectrum) and Veolia Transdev (later Transdev Australasia), began operating the services of Sydney Ferries under a seven-year contract.[13][14][15] In December 2016, Transdev Australasia exercised an option to purchase Broadspectrum's share.[16]

In February 2019, Transdev was awarded a new nine-year contract by the Government commencing 28 July 2019. Under the contract, it will lease 10 new ferries (the River-class) to expand Parramatta River services and also some further Emerald class ferries for other services, which had resulted in an additional 280 weekly services. It is also planned to combine the F2 and F6 routes to be operated on a 20-minute frequency, however this change was only implemented during off-peak times.[17] Harbour City Ferries was also rebranded Transdev Sydney Ferries.

Operations

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Network

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A RiverCat ferry docking at Barangaroo ferry wharf

Sydney Ferries operates services on ten routes:[18]

Sydney Ferries previously commenced an on-demand service connection to Blackwattle Bay in October 2019 until it was converted to the F10 timetabled service in 2021.[19]

The hub of the network is at Circular Quay.

Map
Interactive map of all wharves served by Sydney Ferries

Fleet

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Further information: Transdev Sydney Ferries § Fleet

The Sydney Ferries fleet consists of 41 vessels divided into eight classes:

Sydney Ferries fleet[20][21]
Class Image Vess­els Commiss­ioned Capacity Routes
Freshwater 2 1982–1988 1100 Manly
First Fleet 9 1984–1986 393/403 Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Double Bay
RiverCat 4 1992–1995 230 Parramatta River
Emerald 9 2016-2021 400 Eastern Suburbs, Inner Harbour, Manly
MiniCat 1 2019 43 Blackwattle Bay
River 10 2020–2021 200 Parramatta River, Inner Harbour
Parramatta River 2 in service, 5 under construction 2024-2025 200 Parramatta

Construction of 7 new vessels has begun with 2 already delivered and in service, These Parramatta River class ferries are to replace the RiverCats class vessels on Parramatta services. These ferries are notably built in Australia unlike the River and Emerald Gen 2 ferries. They feature a similar design to River class but lack the upper level seating on the roof, this is to allow for operation to Parramatta without needing to close the upper seating at Rydalmere Wharf.[22]

Patronage

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The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June. Major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage is measured are included as notes.

Sydney Ferries patronage by financial year
Year 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Patronage
(millions) 		14.5 14.8 14.9 16.0
[a][b] 		14.8 15.4 14.9
[c] 		15.3 14.9 11.1
[d] 		6.2 5.3 13.2
Reference [23] [24] [25] [26]
  1. ^ Opal rollout completed in August 2013
  2. ^ International Fleet Review held in October 2013
  3. ^ Figures from 2016–17 onwards are based on Opal tap on and tap off data. Non-Opal tickets were discontinued in August 2016.
  4. ^ Patronage was lower than previous years due to people staying at home and not taking public transport to school or work during the COVID-19 pandemic
2023–24 Sydney Ferries patronage by line[n.b. 1] [27]
6,915,357
1,502,244
2,570,368
2,724,066
533,148
697,896
158,487
522,468
1,646,248
  1. ^ Figures based on Opal tap on and tap off data.
2023–24 Transport for NSW patronage in Sydney by mode[28]
Mode Patronage % of total

Metro 		23,297,166 4.02

Train 		278,134,346 47.93

Bus 		220,944,633 38.08

Ferry 		17,270,282 2.98

Light rail 		40,598,539 6.99
Total 580,244,966 100.00

Fares

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Sydney Ferries uses the Opal ticketing system.[29] Opal is also valid on metro, train, bus and light rail services but separate fares apply for these modes. The following table lists Opal fares for reusable smartcards and single trip tickets:[30]

Ferry
  As of 1 Jul 24		 0–9 km 9 km+
Adult cards & contactless $7.13 $8.92
Other cards $3.56^ $4.46^
Adult single trip $8.60 $10.70
Child/Youth single trip $4.30 $5.40
Bus fares apply to Newcastle's Stockton Ferry

^ = $2.50 for Pensioner/Senior cardholders

Maintenance

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Sydney Ferries' Maintenance Facility at Balmain Shipyard in Mort Bay in July 2013

Balmain Shipyard in Mort Bay was established about 1890 by Balmain Ferry Company as a depot, ferry wharf and ferry coaling wharf but through amalgamations and government takeovers, has become the present Sydney Ferries' Maintenance Facility and Training base and is leased to Transdev Sydney Ferries.

Incidents

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On 12 May 2004, the Louise Sauvage crashed into a wharf at Rose Bay. A small number of minor injuries resulted from the accident, which was blamed on a steering mechanism fault.[31]

In January 2007, one man died after a Sydney RiverCat, Dawn Fraser, collided with a dinghy.[32][33]

In March 2007, a Sydney Ferries vessel crashed into a whale-watching ship before hitting Pyrmont Bridge in Darling Harbour.

Merinda–Pam Burridge collision

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Main article: Merinda–Pam Burridge collision

On Wednesday, 28 March 2007, the Sydney Ferries HarbourCat Pam Burridge collided with a private vessel, the Merinda beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Four people, including a fourteen-year-old girl, were killed in the accident. The Office of Transport Safety Investigations found that the Merinda was not exhibiting the required navigation lights and had not maintained a proper look-out.[34] The summary of the Coroner's Report noted "It was the error made in failing to illuminate the navigation lights [on the private vessel Merinda] that allowed the other causal factors to align to create a cascading causal effect resulting in the collision.[35] Australian skating champion Sean Carlow was among the survivors of the accident. His mother and coach, former Australian Olympic competitor Liz Cain, had a leg amputated. One of the dead was a skating judge who had officiated at the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships the previous week.[36][37]

Other incidents

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On 23 November 2008, at 5:15pm the Lady Northcott ran into the stern of Friendship while the former was berthing behind the latter at Circular Quay. No one was on board the Friendship, and no passengers were injured on the Lady Northcott.

On 6 April 2009 the Lady Northcott crashed into rocks after it overshot Taronga Zoo wharf. No one was injured in the accident, and it was blamed on driver error.[38]

On 11 October 2010 at 8:47am the HarbourCat ferry Anne Sergeant ran into the Kirribilli Jeffrey Street wharf. One passenger was taken to hospital with some other passengers receiving minor injuries.[39]

On 7 November 2010, at approximately 4:30pm, a speedboat crashed into the Fantasea Spirit (owned and operated by Palm Beach Ferries, operating for Sydney Ferries) 100m from Meadowbank wharf on the Parramatta River, injuring six people. The skipper of the speedboat, a 49-year-old Dundas man, was charged with culpably navigating in a dangerous manner causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) and operating a recreational vessel negligently causing death or GBH.[40]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Gunter, John (1978). Across the harbour : the story of Sydney's ferries. Rigby. p. 11. ISBN 0727007157.
  2. ^ North Shore Council, "Ferry Services and Travel on the North Side from the days of the Watermen to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge", "Taking the Ferry", accessed 2 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b Clark, LA (1976). North of the Harbour. Broadmeadow NSW: Newey & Beath Printers Pty Ltd. pp. 38–44. ISBN 0909650055.
  4. ^ "Crash ferries face special inquiry". The Daily Telegraph. 3 April 2007. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2007.
  5. ^ Action for Public Transport (NSW) (6 December 2009). "Submission to The Special Commission of Inquiry into Sydney Ferries". Action for Public Transport (NSW). Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  6. ^ Bret Walker (2007). "Sydney Ferries Report" (PDF). NSW Transport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  7. ^ Linton Bessera & Robert Wainwright (1 November 2001). "Sydney Ferries' day of reckoning". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  8. ^ a b Deborah Cornwall (20 April 2009). "Rees paralysed over Sydney Ferry reform". ABC 7.30 Report. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  9. ^ a b The Infrastructure Journal (20 May 2011). "Let the private sector improve Sydney Ferry services". ClaytonUtz. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Transport Administration Amendment (Rail and Ferry Transport Authorities) Act 2008 No 98". NSW Legislation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2002. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. ^ Battle to be the last fast ferry on the harbour Archived 2 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 9 April 2010
  12. ^ Transport for NSW 2016–17 Annual Report page 122 Archived 22 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Transport for NSW, Retrieved 19 January 2018
  13. ^ "Harbour City Ferries". Harbour City Ferries. 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  14. ^ Private Operator to take control of ferry services Archived 4 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 3 May 2012
  15. ^ Steady as he goes: ferries sail into private hands Archived 31 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 28 July 2012
  16. ^ Transdev Australasia Acquires 100% of Harbour City Ferries Transdev Australasia 8 December 2016
  17. ^ More ferry services for Sydney after government awards $1.3b contract Archived 10 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 2019
  18. ^ Sydney Ferry Map Archived 25 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine Transport NSW Information
  19. ^ New On Demand ferry service in Bays Precinct Archived 17 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 14 October 2019
  20. ^ Sydney Ferries Fleet Facts Archived 12 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Transport for NSW 15 April 2014
  21. ^ "Hull 082 – 35m Passenger Catamaran on the Derwent River". Incat. February 2018. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  22. ^ Cabinet, Department of Premier and (26 June 2023). "Australian-made ferries to take to Parramatta River | NSW Government". NSW.gov.au.
  23. ^ "Transport for NSW Annual Report 2013–14" (PDF). Transport for NSW. p. 395. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  24. ^ "Transport for NSW Annual Report 2014–15" (PDF). Transport for NSW. p. 131. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Ferry Patronage". Transport Performance and Analytics – Transport for NSW. December 2016. p. Top Level Charts. Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Ferry Patronage – Monthly Comparison". Transport for NSW. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Ferry Patronage – Monthly Comparison". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  28. ^ See Transport for NSW patronage in Sydney by mode for sources
  29. ^ "Trains | NSW Government | Opal". Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  30. ^ "Opal fares". transportnsw.info. Transport for NSW. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  31. ^ OTSI(NSW) (30 June 2005). "Ferry Safety Investigation Report Collision of the Louise Sauvage,Rose Bay Wharf, 12 May 2004" (PDF). Office of Transport Safety Investigation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2006.
  32. ^ Julia Alder (28 October 2008). "NSW Ferry Master fined for Harbour Death". OHS News. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  33. ^ "Sydney Ferries 'deeply regret' fatal accident". ABC News Online. 14 January 2007. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  34. ^ Office of Transport Safety Investigations- Marine Safety Investigation Report "Collision between Sydney Ferries’ Harbourcat Pam Burridge and Motor Launch Merinda" Archived 15 May 2009 at the Library of Congress Web Archives 28 March 2007, accessed 2 May 2011.
  35. ^ Sydney Coroner’s Court Inquest into the deaths of Alan Blinn, James ENGERT, Morgan INNES and Simone MOORE "Summary of Coroner’s Report into the deaths of Alan BLINN, James ENGERT, Morgan INNES and Simone MOORE" 23 February 2010, accessed 9 May 2011.
  36. ^ Rhett Watson (29 March 2007). "Public search for missing skater". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  37. ^ "Brisbane teen still missing – Queensland – Brisbane Times – brisbanetimes.com.au". 29 March 2007. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  38. ^ Master to blame for ferry running on to rocks at zoo The Daily Telegraph[dead link‍]
  39. ^ Robinson, Georgina (11 October 2010). "Ferry crashes into sea wall at Kirribilli". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  40. ^ "Dundas man charged over speedboat crash with Sydney ferry". Daily Telegraph. 10 November 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
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