Manly ferry services

With fares at one shilling for a single, in 1892 the Port Jackson Steamship Company announced a fare increase. In response, some Manly residents formed their own competing company, The Manly Co-operative Steam Ferry Company, which ran chartered steamers at sixpence a single. The Port Jackson company dropped their fares to threepence which was match by the Cop-op. Neither company was profitable at this price, so in 1896 they amalgamated to form the Port Jackson Co-operative Steamship Company. Renowned naval architect, Walter Reeks, designed two new ferries for the service, that would be archetypes for all Manly ferries through to the current Freshwater class. Manly (II) (1896) was the first double-ended screw ferry on the run, and Kuring-gai (1901) was 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 company commissioned six similar double-ended screw steamers:

In 2019, Transport for NSW announced[11] they would be retiring the Freshwater class as early as 2020, and replace them with three new Emerald Class ferries to provide more frequent services. The three emerald class ferries are named Clontarf, Balmoral & Fairlight as a homage to the suburbs of the northern beaches.

In November 2020, the Minister for Transport announced that when the new ferries are put into operation, the Collaroy would be retained in service until at least 2023 for weekend operation.^[12] On 14 January 2021 it was announced that the Freshwater will also be retained for future services. The Queenscliff was retired on 13 October 2021 just prior to the first Emerald Class vessels operating. On 9 December 2021, it was announced that Narrabeen would be given new engines and an overhaul amidst rumours about the vessel having been decommissioned or scrapped.^[13]

In 2023 it was announced that plans to return all 4 Freshwaters are underway. With this the Emerald-class are expected to be taken off the Manly run and repurpoused on other routes. The return of the Freshwaters will restore the previous time table used prior to the Emerald's introduction.

• 
  Brighton (1883-1916), the largest and last paddle steamer ferry on Sydney Harbour
• 
  Binngarra at Manly Wharf, early 20th century
• 
  Curl Curl approaches Manly Wharf, 1950s
• 
  South Steyne and hydrofoil Dee Why passing North Head

  , 1970

The Sydney Ferries network is operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries. Route design, timetabling and branding of the services is managed by Transport for NSW. During the Summer Holidays, the Manly Ferry runs to a "Summer Timetable" which provides additional services to cater for demand from increased tourist numbers.^[14]

Freshwater class ferries

The former Harbour City Ferries fleet of four Manly ferries are known as the Freshwater class and comprised, in order of commissioning, the MV Freshwater, MV Queenscliff, MV Narrabeen, and MV Collaroy, which were commissioned between 1982 and 1988. They were built by the State Dockyard in Newcastle and Carrington Slipways in Tomago. They are 70 metres (230 ft) in length, 12.5 metres (41 ft) wide, draught of 3.3 metres (11 ft) and they displace 1,140 tonnes (1122 Imperial tons). Their passenger capacity is 1,100 and their service speed is 16 knots.^[15] Emissions per person‐kilometre travelled are nearly the same for private car and for ferry.^[16]

They are powered by two Daihatsu model 8DSMB-32 turbo-charged diesel engines which each develop 2238 kW at 600rpm, and have hand-controllable pitch propellers. The hull and lower cabin area are of welded steel construction and the upper cabin and two wheelhouses are aluminium.

In 2019 plans were announced to retire all 4 Freshwater class ferries and replace them with new versions of the smaller inner harbour Emerald-class ferries fitted with wave piercing hulls.^[17] Due to large public outcry and problems with the new Emerald-class ferries 2 of the 4 Freshwater-class ferries (Freshwater and Collaroy) were saved from retirement. In October 2021 MV Queenscliff was retired.^[18] Later on that same year, MV Narrabeen was retired after a cancelled engine replacement as it would cost too much money. In 2021 there were plans to save Collaroy only, and retire freshwater, but it was later decided to bring Queenscliff back in service and retire Collaroy. Currently 2 of the Freshwater-class ferries only operate on weekends and public holidays however they have been seen operating when the swells are too large for the Emerald-class ferries to operate.

In 2023 it was announced that plans are under way to return all 4 Freshwater Class Ferries to full time operation, thus bringing Narrabeen and Queenscliff out of retirement and cancelling Collaroy's retirement. But two weeks after plans to bring all four ferries back in service, the NSW government put Collaroy under inspection to see if it was actually suited for continuing service.

Emerald Class Ferries

3 Emerald-class ferries currently operate the Manly ferry service. These vessels are named Fairlight, Balmoral and Clontarf. The Emerald-class ferries are a second series of an inner harbour design fitted with wave piercing hulls to help them cross Sydney harbour's heads.

The Emerald-class are expected to be removed from the run once a time table is worked out for at least 3 of the Freshwater-class.

Wharves

Wharves served by the F1 ferry

Circular Quay

Sydney Ferries services use Wharf 3 at Circular Quay for services to Manly. Wharf 3 is specially designed to allow for double deck boarding and alighting, lowering dwell time for ferries.

Manly

This wharf serves the suburb of

Local bus services depart from stands in front of the wharf to many Northern Beaches Suburbs.^[23]

Patronage

The following table shows the patronage of Sydney Ferries network for the year ending 30 June 2022.

2021–22 Sydney Ferries patronage by line^{[n.b. 1] [24]}

F1	1 716 000	Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
F2	542 000
F3	1 067 000
F4	1 216 000
F5	244 000
F6	353 000
F7	106 000
F8	269 000
F9	624 000

See also

• List of Sydney Harbour ferries

References

• Gunter, John (1978). Across the harbour : the story of Sydney's ferries. Rigby.
  ISBN 0727007157
  .