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 Shane Gould in June 2014 | ||||||||||||||
| Waterway | Sydney Harbour, Parramatta River | |||||||||||||
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| Owner | Sydney Ferries | |||||||||||||
| Operator | Transdev Sydney Ferries | |||||||||||||
| System length | 20 wharves, 27 km (17 mi) | |||||||||||||
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Parramatta River ferry services connect suburbs along the Parramatta River in Sydney with Circular Quay by commuter ferry. The services are numbered F3 and form part of the Sydney Ferries network.
Regular ferry services between Sydney and Parramatta began 2 June 1831, with the first steam ferry named Surprise. [1] Early ferry services between Sydney Cove and Parramatta used paddle steamers. [2]
Due to silting and pollution of the river, Sydney Ferries services on the Parramatta River ceased to serve the wharves west of Meadowbank in 1928. [3] Meanwhile, changes in the design of ferries meant that the deep-hulled vessels were unable to go further upstream than the Meadowbank bridge. However, following dredging work and the introduction of the RiverCat catamarans, the State Transit Authority was able to resume services to Rydalmere and Parramatta in December 1993. [4] [5] [6] [7]
At one time, the New South Wales Government was keen to make extensive use of ferry transport to Sydney Olympic Park for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Although the Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf was built and opened on 22 September 1997, at the western tip of Homebush Bay, its distance from the Olympic facilities meant that Olympic spectators were largely encouraged to use buses and trains.
Circular Quay is a major transport hub in Sydney, situated on Sydney Cove. It features a large wharf complex, a train station, a light rail stop, and bus connections on Alfred St.
Sydney Cove was the site of the initial landing of the First Fleet in Port Jackson. Circular Quay was originally mainly used for shipping and slowly developed into a transport, leisure and recreational centre, and as Sydney's main tourist attraction point.
Sydney Ferries services use wharves 2, 3, 4 and 5 at Circular Quay. Each wharf has ticket vending machines, ticket barriers, is staffed and is wheelchair-accessible.
Barangaroo ferry wharf serves Darling Harbour and the Barangaroo precinct, with a pedestrian link to Wynyard train station and light rail stop. The Barangaroo Metro station (opening on 4 August, 2024) is also a short walk away. Barangaroo features two large wharves (with two berths on each side) - namely Wharf 1 and Wharf 2 - and F3 services typically use Wharf 1.
Balmain ferry wharf serves the suburbs of Balmain and Birchgrove, and is located on Thames Street, Balmain. Balmain is only served by F3 ferries during peak hours and F8 at all times.
Cockatoo Island ferry wharf serves Cockatoo Island. Connections to other F8 wharves of Woolwich, Greenwich Point, Birchgrove and Balmain can be made here. Cockatoo Island features two berths.
Drummoyne ferry wharf serves the suburb of Drummoyne and is located on Wolseley Street, Drummoyne.
Huntleys Point ferry wharf serves the suburb of Huntleys Point and is located on Huntleys Point Road, Huntleys Point.
Chiswick ferry wharf serves the suburb of Chiswick and is located on Bortfield Drive, Chiswick. Bus connections that are a short walk away are 415 and 504.
Abbotsford ferry wharf serves the suburb of Abbotsford and is located on Great North Road, Abbotsford. A bus connection that is a short walk away is 438X/438N.
Cabarita ferry wharf serves the suburbs of Cabarita and Breakfast Point, and is located in Cabarita Park. A bus connection is 502, and 466 only a short walk away. Cabarita features two berths.
Kissing Point ferry wharf serves the suburb of Putney and is located in Kissing Point Park.
Meadowbank ferry wharf was the westernmost point in the Sydney ferry network until 1992. The wharf serves the suburb of Meadowbank and is located on Bowden Street, Meadowbank. A bus connection is 518.
Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf serves the suburbs of Sydney Olympic Park and Wentworth Point, and is located on Hill Rd, Sydney Olympic Park. The wharf was built in 1998 for the purpose of serving passengers for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and served the RiverCat service which brought the Olympic Torch to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony. It now serves residents of Wentworth Point and the neighbouring Rhodes. A bus connection is 526. The wharf features two berths and the majority of ferry services terminate here.
Rydalmere ferry wharf opened in 1992, and serves the suburb of Rydalmere and is located on John Street, Rydalmere. A bus connection a short walk away is 524.
Parramatta ferry wharf opened in 1992, and wharf serves the city of Parramatta and is located on the corner of Phillip and Charles Street, Parramatta. The wharf was upgraded in 2019 and surrounding precinct of Charles Street Square was given an upgrade in 2023. The free 900 shuttle bus to the CBD also depart from Phillip St at this wharf. Services between Rydalmere and Parramatta are replaced by buses during extreme low tides. [8]
The following table shows the patronage of Sydney Ferries network for the year ending 30 June 2022.
| 1 716 000 |
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| 542 000 | ||||
| 1 067 000 | ||||
| 1 216 000 | ||||
| 244 000 | ||||
| 353 000 | ||||
| 106 000 | ||||
| 269 000 | ||||
| 624 000 |
The Parramatta River is an intermediate tide-dominated, drowned valley estuary located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. With an average depth of 5.1 metres (17 ft), the Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson. Secondary tributaries include the smaller Lane Cove and Duck rivers.
Town Hall railway station is a heritage-listed underground commuter rail station located in the centre of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. The station opened on 28 February 1932. It is named after the Sydney Town Hall, located directly above the station.
Meadowbank is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 15 kilometres north west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Sydney region. Meadowbank sits in a valley on the northern bank of the Parramatta River.
Drummoyne is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Drummoyne is six kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Canada Bay.
Breakfast Point is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Breakfast Point is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district. It is in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay. People from Breakfast Point are colloquially called Breakfast Pointers.
Chiswick is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 9 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay. Chiswick sits on the peninsula between Abbotsford Bay and Five Dock Bay, on the Parramatta River. It is surrounded by the suburbs of Abbotsford, Russell Lea and Drummoyne.
Meadowbank ferry wharf is located on the northern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Meadowbank.
Balmain East ferry wharf is located on Sydney Harbour serving the Sydney suburb of Balmain East.
Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf is located on the southern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Wentworth Point.
Rydalmere ferry wharf is located on the northern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Rydalmere.
Parramatta ferry wharf is located near the source of the Parramatta River, serving the Sydney satellite city of Parramatta.
Balmain ferry wharf is located on Sydney Harbour serving the Sydney suburb of Balmain. It is served by Sydney Ferries Cockatoo Island services operating between Circular Quay and Cockatoo Island, with some peak F3 services operating to Chiswick. The single wharf is served by First Fleet and RiverCat class ferries.
Cabarita ferry wharf is located on the southern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Cabarita. It served by Sydney Ferries Parramatta River services operating between Circular Quay and Parramatta. The single wharf is served by RiverCat class ferries. The wharf was opened on 20 January 2000 in conjunction with improved transport services to Homebush Bay for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Bayview Park ferry wharf is a commuter wharf located in the Sydney suburb of Concord, New South Wales, on Hen & Chicken Bay. It is situated adjacent the namesake Bayview Park reserve, and upon the site of the historical Burwood ferry wharf, where Canadian exiles from the 19th century Lower Canada Rebellion landed in Sydney. Bayview Park was originally serviced by a Matilda Cruises route, before being included on Sydney Ferries' Parramatta River service in 2006, after a brief one-year service by Palm Beach Ferries. Services to the wharf were decommissioned by Sydney Ferries in October 2013, alongside Balmain West after patronage declined to a weekly average of 28 passengers. No operators currently service the wharf, although the structure still remains, with plans to return private ferry services to the wharf as part of a redevelopment project for a factory in eastern Concord.
Chiswick ferry wharf is located on the southern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Chiswick. It served by Sydney Ferries Parramatta River services operating between Circular Quay and Parramatta. The single wharf is served by First Fleet and RiverCat class ferries.
Huntleys Point ferry wharf is located on the northern side of the Parramatta River serving the Sydney suburb of Huntleys Point. It served by Sydney Ferries Parramatta River services. A lift was installed in 2016.
Barangaroo ferry wharf is a ferry wharf located on the eastern side of Darling Harbour, in Sydney, Australia. The wharf is the major public transport link of the Barangaroo precinct, situated west of the Sydney central business district. The complex consists two wharves, with provision for a third wharf in the future. It is serviced by Sydney Ferries' F3 Paramatta River and F4 Pyrmont Bay services. It opened on 26 June 2017.
The Pyrmont Bay ferry service, officially known as F4 Pyrmont Bay, is a commuter ferry service in Sydney, New South Wales. Part of the Sydney Ferries network, it is operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries and services the Lavender Bay and Darling Harbour areas. It began operation on 25 October 2020, and replaced the western half of the F4 Cross Harbour ferry service. Emerald-class ferries and SuperCat ferries operate the service.
The Cockatoo Island ferry service, officially known as F8 Cockatoo Island, is a commuter ferry service in Sydney, Australia. Part of the Sydney Ferries network, it is operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries and services the Balmain, Greenwich, Woolwich and Cockatoo Island areas of Sydney Harbour.
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