Sydney Ferries | |
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![]() | |
![]() An Emerald Class ferry | |
![]() Roundel | |
Overview | |
Owner | Transport for NSW |
Area served | Port Jackson |
Locale | Sydney |
Transit type | Passenger ferry |
Number of lines | 10 |
Operation | |
Operator(s) | Transdev Sydney Ferries |
Number of vehicles | 41 |
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.
Services are operated under contract by Transdev Sydney Ferries. Sydney Ferries Corporation is the state government agency that owns the ferry fleet.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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]
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.
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.
The Sydney Ferries fleet consists of 41 vessels divided into eight classes:
Class | Image | Vessels | Commissioned | Capacity | Routes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Freshwater | ![]() | 4 | 1982–1988 | 1100 | Manly |
First Fleet | ![]() | 9 | 1984–1986 | 393/403 | Inner Harbour, Taronga Zoo, Eastern Suburbs |
RiverCat | ![]() | 5 | 1992–1995 | 230 | Parramatta River |
Emerald Gen 1 & Gen 2 | ![]() | 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 delivered, 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]
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.
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 [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] | 14.8 | 15.4 | 14.9 [lower-alpha 3] | 15.3 | 14.9 | 11.1 [lower-alpha 4] | 6.2 | 5.3 | 13.2 |
Reference | [23] | [24] | [25] | [26] | |||||||||
|
1 716 000 |
| |||
542 000 | ||||
1 067 000 | ||||
1 216 000 | ||||
244 000 | ||||
353 000 | ||||
106 000 | ||||
269 000 | ||||
624 000 |
Mode | Patronage | % of total |
---|---|---|
![]() Metro | 19,738,171 | 3.93 |
![]() Train | 229,666,997 | 45.75 |
![]() Bus | 206,846,833 | 41.20 |
![]() Ferry | 13,230,548 | 2.64 |
![]() Light rail | 32,518,814 | 6.48 |
Total | 502,001,363 | 100.00 |
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]
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
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.
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.
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]
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]
King Street Wharf is a mixed-use tourism, commercial, residential, retail and maritime development on the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, an inlet of Sydney Harbour, Australia. Located on the western side of the city's central business district, the complex served as a maritime industrial area in the early and mid 20th century. It was redeveloped as part of extensive urban renewal projects around Sydney Harbour in the 1980s and 90s. The complex is host to a cluster of nine wharves, with the first two wharves currently in use by private ferry operator Captain Cook Cruises and a third decommissioned by Sydney Ferries.
Circular Quay ferry wharf is a complex of wharves at Circular Quay, on Sydney Cove, that serves as the hub for the Sydney Harbour ferry network.
Buses account for close to six per cent of trips each day in the city of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, forming a key part of the city's public transport system. The network initially evolved from a privately operated system of feeder services to railway stations in the outer suburbs, and a publicly operated network of bus services introduced to replace trams in the inner suburbs. The bus network has undergone major reforms since the 2000s–2010s, with the New South Wales Government taking responsibility for route and fare-setting, opening contracts for most routes up to competitive tendering, and introducing more cross-suburban services.
Milsons Point ferry wharf is located on the northern side of Sydney Harbour serving the Sydney suburb of Milsons Point. It is next to Luna Park and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is served by Sydney Ferries Parramatta River and Pyrmont Bay services operated by First Fleet and RiverCat class ferries.
Manly ferry services operate on Sydney Harbour connecting the Sydney suburb of Manly with Circular Quay in the CBD, a journey of seven nautical miles.
Double Bay ferry services connect wharves in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs with Circular Quay by commuter ferry. The services are provided by Sydney Ferries, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The route is coloured dark green on the current Sydney Ferries network map. SuperCats are the primary vessel on the route with some Double Bay services operated by First Fleet ferries.
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.
Parramatta ferry wharf is located near the source of the Parramatta River, serving the Sydney satellite city of Parramatta.
The Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company (PJ&MSC) was a publicly listed company that operated the Manly ferries in Sydney, Australia. After being taken over by Brambles Industries, the ferry service was eventually taken over by the State Government and is now part of Sydney Ferries.
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.
Transdev Sydney Ferries, formerly Harbour City Ferries, is a subsidiary of Transdev Australasia, and is the operator of ferry services in the Sydney Ferries network since July 2012. It currently operates the ferry network under a contract until June 2028. As part of the operation contract, Transdev Sydney Ferries leases both the Balmain Maintenance Facility and the fleet from the government agency Sydney Ferries.
Transdev Australasia is an operator of bus, ferry, light rail and heavy rail services in Australia and New Zealand. It is a subsidiary of French-based, international Transdev. It was formed in 2013 by grouping the operations of Veolia Transport Australia and former Transdev together, as a result of the global rebranding from Veolia Transdev to Transdev.
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.
Sydney Ferries Limited operated ferry services on Sydney Harbour from 1900 until June 1951.
Lady Denman is a former Sydney Harbour ferry built in 1912 for the Balmain New Ferry Company. She was later run by Sydney Ferries Limited and its government successors. She is now preserved at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum near her original build site in Huskisson, New South Wales, Australia.
The Emerald ferry class is a class of ferry operated by Sydney Ferries on Sydney Harbour. There is capacity for about 400 passengers, improved accessibility for people with disabilities, wi-fi access, luggage and bicycle storage areas and charging stations/ USB ports for electronic devices.
Lady Edeline was a Sydney Harbour ferry built in 1913 for the Balmain New Ferry Company. She and four similar ferries, Lady Chelmsford (1910), Lady Denman (1912), Lady Ferguson (1914), Lady Scott (1914) were a new series of "Lady-class", designed by renowned naval architect, Walter Reeks.
The Watsons Bay ferry service, officially known as F9 Watsons 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 Rose Bay and Watsons Bay areas. It began operation on 25 October 2020 and replaced the eastern half of the F4 Cross Harbour service. Emerald-class ferries and SuperCat ferries operate the service.
Sydney Harbour ferry services date back to the first years of Sydney's European settlement. Slow and sporadic boats ran along the Parramatta River from Sydney to Parramatta and served the agricultural settlements in between. By the mid-1830s, speculative ventures established regular services. From the late-nineteenth century the North Shore developed rapidly. A rail connection to Milsons Point took alighting ferry passengers up the North Shore line to Hornsby, New South Wales via North Sydney. Without a bridge connection, increasingly large fleets of steamers serviced the cross harbour routes and in the early twentieth century, Sydney Ferries Limited was the largest ferry operator in the world.