Wisemans Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the eponymous community of Wisemans Ferry on the south bank, to a point on the north bank downstream of the Hawkesbury River's confluence with the Macdonald River, connecting with the old Great North Road. The crossing has remained in use on its current site since 1829, making it the oldest ferry crossing still in operation in New South Wales, and possibly in Australia. [1] [2]
The ferry is operated by a private sector operator under contract to Transport for NSW and is free of tolls. The crossing is 366 metres (1,201 ft) in length and takes approximately 4 minutes. The ferry operates on demand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no regular maintenance closure. Two ferry boats are available at this crossing, operating on separate sets of cables, and when traffic demands it both may be in use. The larger of the two boats carries up to 24 cars, while the smaller one carries 18 cars. [1] [3] [4]
The ferry is one of two cable ferry crossings in the community of Wisemans Ferry, the other being Webbs Creek Ferry, which crosses the Hawkesbury River to a point upstream of the confluence with the Macdonald River. Two other such ferries cross the Hawkesbury River proper, these being the Sackville Ferry and the Lower Portland Ferry, while a fifth ferry, the Berowra Waters Ferry, crosses a side-arm of the river. [5]
The ferry is named after its founder, Solomon Wiseman, a former convict (1778–1838), who received a land grant in the area from Governor Macquarie in 1817. Wiseman established the ferry service in 1827 for the transport of produce and provisions to the convicts building the Great North Road to link Sydney with the fertile Hunter Valley. Initially located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) downstream of its present location, the crossing was moved to its present location in 1829 when the Great North Road was repositioned and reconstructed. In 1832, the Wisemans ferry service was purchased by the government. [1] [6] [7]
Until the opening of the Peats Ferry Bridge across the Hawkesbury at Brooklyn, Wisemans Ferry was on one of the main road routes north out of Sydney. However, when that bridge opened in 1945, vehicular traffic along the Great North Road through Wisemans Ferry was reduced, and the crossing at Wisemans Ferry could no longer be considered to be on the main route north to Newcastle. [1]
A cable ferry is a ferry that is guided across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often used either rope or steel chains, with the latter resulting in the alternative name of chain ferry. Both of these were largely replaced by wire cable by the late 19th century.
The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River, is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney. Between Wisemans Ferry and the Pacific Ocean marks the boundary of Greater Metropolitan Sydney in the south and the Central Coast region to the north.
St Albans is a small and historic village on the Macdonald River, New South Wales, Australia, about 94 kilometres (65 mi) north west of Sydney. At the 2011 census, St Albans and the surrounding area had a population of 305 people.
The Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA) was an agency of the Government of New South Wales responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed state roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads. In addition, with assistance from the federal government, the RTA also managed the NSW national highway system. The agency was abolished in 2011 and replaced by Roads & Maritime Services.
The Great North Road is a historic road that was built to link early Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, now Australia, with the fertile Hunter Valley to the north. Built by convicts between 1825 and 1836, it traverses over 260 kilometres (162 mi) of the rugged terrain that hindered early agricultural expansion.
Sackville North is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 80 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire.
Wisemans Ferry is a town on the northern outskirts of Sydney and the south-west of the Central Coast region in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 75 kilometres north north-west of Sydney. It is located in the Sydney local government areas of the Hornsby Shire, The Hills Shire, City of Hawkesbury and the Central Coast Council. The town is a tourist spot with picnic and barbecue facilities. As well as a rich convict and colonial heritage in the area, the Dharug National Park and Yengo National Park are close by.
The Berowra Creek, a watercourse that is part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located to the north of the Sydney central business district in the Hornsby Shire of New South Wales, Australia.
The Macdonald River is a perennial river located in the Hunter and Outer Metropolitan Sydney regions of New South Wales, Australia. It is a part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment.
The Mortlake Ferry, also known as the Putney Punt, is a cable ferry that runs across the Parramatta River in Sydney, connecting Hilly Street in Mortlake and Pellisier Road in Putney.
Sackville (Doorumbolooa) is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the City of Hawkesbury and at the 2016 census had a population of 298, thirteen of whom identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
Lower Macdonald is a hamlet village of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the City of Hawkesbury north-west of Wisemans Ferry on the Macdonald River near its confluence with the Hawkesbury River.
Solomon Wiseman was a convict, merchant and ferryman. The town called Wiseman's Ferry, New South Wales, Australia is named after him.
The Sackville Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The vehicular ferry connects the communities of Sackville, on the north/west bank of the river, and Sackville North, on the south/east bank. Because of the tortuous course of the river, the ferry actually runs north-west from Sackville to Sackville North.
Webbs Creek Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the community of Wisemans Ferry, to a point up-stream of the Hawkesbury River's confluence with the Macdonald River, thus connecting with St Albans Road that follows the west bank of the Macdonald River.
The Berowra Waters Ferry is a cable ferry across the Berowra Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River, located in the Berowra Valley National Park, Sydney, Australia. The ferry operates from the community of Berowra Waters on the west bank of the creek, to a landing on the east bank, thus connecting with the road to Berowra Heights.
The Lower Portland Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry is situated in the community of Lower Portland.
The Peats Ferry Bridge is a steel truss bridge that carries the Pacific Highway (B83) across the Hawkesbury River, between Kangaroo Point and Mooney Mooney Point, located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The bridge carries the Hornsby to Kariong section of highway, while the adjacent Brooklyn Bridge carries the Pacific Motorway (M1).
Roads and Maritime Services was an agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for building and maintaining road infrastructure and managing the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways.
The Webbs Creek, a perennial stream of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located in the Outer Metropolitan Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia.
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