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25.01.2022 The 1913-built wooden-hulled ferry Lady Edeline. The veteran and historic Lady Edeline would continue operating regularly on Sydney Harbour until 1984. Sadly, she ended her days in 1988 sinking into the mud near Mortlake Point on the Parramatta River. The remains of her hull can still be seen at low tide near the Mortlake / Putney punt. Stuart McPherson. Balmain Maintenance Yard, September 1979.

25.01.2022 10 years ago, former Cockatoo Island ferry Codock II played a major part in a wedding proposal on Brisbane Water. Today she re-enacted the event for the happy couple (plus children) to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Great to see this historic ferry playing such a treasured role.

24.01.2022 The first four River Class ferries are now at Balmain Yard being prepared for service. No in service date as yet.

24.01.2022 Azile was a small steam ferry that was built on the Hunter River in 1911. She was the first vessel built by the Mosquito Island yards and was constructed for excursion trips and to operate on Lake Macquarie. Interestingly it would appear from the records that within her first year she was converted to a motor vessel. In 1916 it is known that she was owned by H & LG Rinker along with other small ferries that operated in the area. By 1925 she was in Sydney along with the Wangi... Wangi and was advertised to run excursions to various locations on the river and harbour. As well, moonlight cruises were on offer. This is the time that she was likely purchased by the Agar Brothers. Disaster struck at the Great Public Schools Regatta on Saturday, 21st April 1934 when about forty passengers (mostly women) were thrown into the water when the top deck collapsed. Although no-one was killed, thirty six peole were admitted to hospital suffering from shock and immersion.Only one was kept in suffering from broken ribs. A year later she was back in operation again after being rebuilt; albeit with a slightly lower passenger capacity. She was last slipped on June 19, 1942 and shortly after disappears from the register.

23.01.2022 The hydrofoil Fairlight on Sydney Harbour. The camera here is looking northwards with Mosman and Taronga Zoo visible in the distance. Stuart McPherson. Saturday 10 May 1980.

23.01.2022 The 1913-built wooden-hulled Sydney Harbour ferry Karingal. Vessels Ladies Street and Herron with their distinctive twin funnels can both be seen in the background. They are shiny new in this photo - having both just recently arrived from their Newcastle builders (the long-gone NSW State Dockyard) earlier this same year. This veteran Karingal - originally constructed locally in Sydney before the First World War as a coal-burning steam ferry - was smart and handsome from simp...ly any angle - something I am reminded of yet again as I look over this photo to caption it. Sadly Karingal sank in Bass Strait en route to Melbourne while she was being towed down the coast during the mid 1980s by new owners. She had retired in 1984 after a 71-year career working on Sydney Harbour. Stuart McPherson. Circular Quay, November 1979.

23.01.2022 SS Alice (I) Type : Wooden screw steamship Launched : August 1888 Builder : unknown, Blackwall, NSW... Gross : 43 tons Dimensions : 70.5 x 15.0 x 4.5 (feet) Passenger capacity : unknown Speed : unknown ON : 93571 The first ferry to carry the name, Alice was launched in Woy Woy in 1888, she was laid down in February of the same year. She probably did not last long on the harbour, for by 1889 she was already operating in Brisbane and there is only one primary reference indicating she operated as a ferry on the Parramatta River. Her register was closed in 1910 so she was likely broken up at that time.

23.01.2022 Collaroy cutting her way towards Bradleys Head bound for Manly this balmy evening. Photo: Haig Gilchrist

23.01.2022 All good things come to an end. Freshwater will not be going to refit after summer...........

22.01.2022 Fishburn on the slipway undergoing refit at Port Macquarie. Photo: Geoff Lanes

22.01.2022 Binngarra at Manly, circa 1910

21.01.2022 PS Alexandra Type : Wooden paddlewheel steam ship Launched : 1864 Builder : R Green, North Sydney, NSW... Gross weight : 27 tons after 1874 Dimensions : 68.20 x 11.90 x 4.90(feet) after 1874 Passenger capacity : 75 Speed : unknown ON : 69767 Alexandra was a wooden paddlewheel steam ship built for, and operated by the North Shore Steam Ferry Company. She ran for her original owners until 1874 in which year she was sold to Matthew Byrnes who lengthened her and increased her tonnage. Her steam engine is described as delivering 10hp. She was advertised from 1864 running in tandem with Kirribilli between Milsons Point and Circular Quay every fifteen minutes. It is likely that after1874 she operated with Byrnes' other vessels to Watsons Bay. She was wrecked on January 19th, 1878.

21.01.2022 Lady Denman (Dufty collection)

21.01.2022 Manly Ferry North Head alongside @ Wharf 3. Stuart McPherson. October 1979.

21.01.2022 Back in the 1920s the PJ Company introduced refreshment rooms on their steamers - here's an advert from the period. Baragoola's cafeteria was located in what is now the Battery Compartment (the later one was located (from the 60s) on the top deck, mid ship)).

20.01.2022 Alexander Type : Steel twin catamaran Launched : 19th January 1985 Builder : Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd, Newcastle, NSW... Gross weight : 105 tons Dimensions : 25.38 (metres) Passenger capacity : 393 Speed : 11 knots Registration: 15517 Alexander is a steel twin catamaran vessel owned and operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries. In 2006/2007 all members of the class were re-engined with MTU Series 60 engines and following a refit in 2020 the class is expected to operate for at least another ten years. Alexander was the third First Fleet vessel introduced. All vessels are basically identical (only difference is length of upper outer decks, some having longer decks, others being shorter). These vessels all operate the inner harbour routes including as far as Drummoyne originally. This class of ferry was named after the First Fleet that began the settlement of Australia in 1788. There were nine ships in the original fleet - the 'missing' vessels are Prince of Wales and Lady Penryhn. Alexander is a several time winner of the Great Ferry Race held each Australia Day.

20.01.2022 The 1913-built wooden-hulled Sydney Harbour ferry Karrabee as seen from Long Nose Point Birchgrove. Balls Head is visible in the background. Initially constructed as a coal-burning steam ferry, Karrabee would remain a working vessel on Sydney Harbour until 1984. Stuart McPherson. September 1979.

19.01.2022 View from aboard the 1922-built Baragoola. Georges Heights and a Manly-bound hydrofoil in the background. Stuart McPherson July 1980.

19.01.2022 The 1956-built Sydney Harbour ferry Kooleen - which was constructed in Newcastle at the old NSW State Dockyard. Kooleen was the first large inner-harbour ferry to be built for Sydney in 34 years (!), and was intended to be the first of several sisters of her type. On arrival on Sydney Harbour however she was exceedingly unpopular with ferry travellers - being relatively small and with no outside seating whatsoever. Occasionally nicknamed "The Submarine", she was pretty nois...y inside, and her interior seating comprised largely of padded swing-back 2-seaters taken out of decommissioned Sydney R Class trams. Thus no further Kooleens were ever built and she remained the proverbial only child. Kooleen did have one great redeeming feature however. As author and ferry historian Graeme Andrews (a previous skipper of hers) once remarked, the skipper's visibility from Kooleen's wheelhouse was far and away the best of any vessel on Sydney Harbour at that time. Stuart McPherson. Circular Quay, June 1980.

19.01.2022 Central Coast Ferries cats Saratoga and Sorrento plus the 40 footers Codock II and the Hydra this morning in the bay.

18.01.2022 In 1974 only two ferries were available to run the Manly timetable (Baragoola and North Head) - as you can see the two old ladies ran hard to maintain the service. Only a couple of decades earlier seven vessels were in use and at the peak of the trade in the 30s there were nine. Now there are four.

18.01.2022 Our one and only Kanangra sneaks into the background of this fantastic photo taken from Seaforth overlooking the Spit Bridge. Photo: John Ward

18.01.2022 Anne Sargeant Type : Aluminium Catamaran Launched : 1998 Builder : Norman R. Wright and Sons, Bullimba, Qld... Gross : 34 tonnes Dimensions : 27.14 metres Passenger capacity : 150 Speed : 22 knots Registration : unknown Anne Sargeant is one of two HarbourCats, the other being her sister vessel Pam Burridge. She was named after the Australian netball champion born on the 28th of December, 1957. (Image: Lance Lyon)

17.01.2022 Annabelle Rankin Type : Aluminium catamaran Launched : unknown Builder : RDM Constructions, Goodwood, TAS... Gross : unknown Dimensions : 24.00 x 8.00 (metres) Passenger capacity : 198 Speed : 22 knots Regiistration : unknown Annabelle Rankin is a ferry in the Captain Cook Cruises (Sealink) fleet. (Image: RDM Constructions)

17.01.2022 MV Frances Peat/Alexander Allison Type :Steel vehicular ferry Launched : 1930 Builder : Poole and Steele, Balmain, NSW... Gross : 121 tons Dimensions : 112.0 x 16.1 x 5.2 (feet) 114.2 x 16.3 x 7.4 (feet) Passenger capacity : unknown Vehicular capacity : unknown Speed : unknown ON : 178413 Frances Peat was a car ferry designed for the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn. Due to concerns with the amount of water and coal required, both this and her sister vessel George Peat were equipped with diesel engines, the first such ever fitted to car ferries in New South wales. Both vessels were taken over by the RAN in 1941 and were converted to long range supply vessels, Frances Peat receiving the Naval ID of AB442. After the end of the war both ferries were returned to their original configuration and sold to Auckland. Renamed Alexander Allison, the ferry provided vehicular access in that harbour until a bridge replaced the service at which time both ferries were sold back over the Tasman to operate the Bruny Island service. Unfortunately, 240 nautical miles from Hobart, on the 30th of April 1960, the ferry sank while under tow. (Image: Australian War Memorial)

17.01.2022 View from aboard the 1922-built Baragoola. A Manly-bound hydrofoil heads down Sydney Harbour towards Manly Wharf in the background. Stuart McPherson. Sunday 8 March 1981.

15.01.2022 Sunset over the NSW coast from the wheelhouse of Borrowdale as she heads back to Sydney from Port Macquarie. Photo: Steve Fletcher

15.01.2022 Lady Hampden, 1920s

15.01.2022 Aqua Spirit/Fantasea Spirit Type : Aluminium catamaran Launched : October 2002 Builder : New Wave Catamarans, Bullimba, QLD... Gross weight : unknown Dimensions : 24.92 x 7.76 x 1.40 (metres) Passenger capacity : 192 Speed : 27 knots Registration: unknown Fantasea Spirit is a near sister to the Crystal Spirit, originally owned and operated by Pam Beach Ferries. She has been chartered in the past to Sydney Ferries. (Image: Palm Beach Ferries)

15.01.2022 The veteran Manly Ferry North Head departs Manly Wharf for Circular Quay one fine Winter weekend day. Constructed right here in Sydney in 1913 (Mort's Dock Woolwich - near Hunter's Hill) as the coal-burning steamer Barrenjoey, she was extensively rebuilt during the early 1950s and converted to diesel-electric propulsion - and renamed North Head. North Head would remain a working vessel until her eventual retirement in late 1985. She was the last of the traditional Manly Ferr...ies still operating, and could boast a career working on Sydney Harbour of well over 70 years. Stuart McPherson. July 1981.

14.01.2022 Circular Quay aerial 1935 pic-reddit/state Library. Check the different angles of the old wharves plus there was an extra to current day. The new plans call for even less wharves but longer.

14.01.2022 Kuramia in 1914

14.01.2022 Brighton and Kuring-Gai at Circular Quay

13.01.2022 The stripped hull of veteran Manly Ferry Bellubera shortly before she was scuttled east of Long Reef - off Sydney's Northern Beaches. She was sunk there to form part of an artificial reef on the sandy sea bed at this location. In this photo her long tow line is just now being cast off from the tug Betts Bay, which has towed her down Sydney Harbour and out Sydney Heads for the last time. The scuttling crew member who is perched here on Bellubera's sponson is in the process ...of unhooking the large shackle connecting Betts Bay's tow rope to the steel cable running through Bellubera's two anchor hawse pipes. Moments after this photo was taken he successfully completed the task - and then lost his balance from this precarious spot and fell into the sea. He was picked up by the boat carrying the The Manly Daily's photographer. Bellubera was built locally here in Sydney in 1910 at Mort's Dock Woolwich - near Hunters Hill - and would remain an operating vessel on Sydney Harbour plying the 7 nautical mile journey between Circular Quay and Manly Wharf for 63 long and eventful years. She was finally retired in 1973. In early 1980 Bellubera was towed from her berth in Blackwattle Bay to the old Wharf 38a Darling Harbour - and later for a final few days @ Wharf 22 Pyrmont. She was stripped of superstructure, machinery, equipment and salvageable scrap metal - and then her hull scuttled at sea. Stuart McPherson photo. Tasman Sea (several km off Long Reef), 1 August 1980.

13.01.2022 Kookaburra in 1918 at the Quarantine Wharf, Manly

13.01.2022 South Steyne, 1969 (Graeme Andrews). Posting this for all the people objecting to the new ferries being built overseas - it's been going on for decades - South Steyne was built in Scotland because it was too expensive to build new vessels here - the PJ&MSS Co went to Scotland for all three of their new ferries after the cost blowout of Baragoola in 1922. (80k pounds compared to Barrenjoey's 14k pounds less than ten years earlier).

13.01.2022 After some info, Captain Cook has (had ?) four "Tubby" class vessels - Cockle Bay, Blackwattle Bay, White Bay and Pyrmont Bay. Sydney Ferries operated one as it's on-demand service under the name "Me Mel" - was it one of the Cookies boats or another altogether ?

13.01.2022 Sunset at Sydney Cove 1980-style. The weekday evening Circular Quay commuter peak is just kicking off in this photo, with commuters about to descend upon the various wharves for their trips home across Sydney Harbour at the end of the office work day. Sunset in Sydney on this particular day - so Google helpfully informs me - was at 5.05 pm. From Left to Right we have:... P&O's Sea Princess @ the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Hegarty's little Emerald Star (?), inner-harbour ferries Karrabee, Lady McKell and Lady Herron, what appears to be a small Stannards launch, the Manly ferry North Head, and what seems in the lonely distance at far right to be the 1956-built ferry Kooleen. Stuart McPherson. Monday 12 May 1980.

13.01.2022 North Head, 1968 (Graham Cosserat)

12.01.2022 The Manly Ferry North Head departing Wharf 3 Circular Quay. North Head's master has just pushed forward the lever of her polished brass engine controller on the bridge - and is keeping an eye on her departure from the wharf at this moment. Her English Electric diesels are smoking profusely - having throttled right up from idle speed just a few seconds before. Stuart McPherson. Late afternoon, Tuesday 27 May 1980.

12.01.2022 The distinctive knife-straight steamer bow of the 1910-built Manly Ferry Bellubera. This photo is taken on the morning of Friday 1 August 1980 - the day Bellubera's stripped hull was towed down harbour and out Sydney Heads for the final time. Her hull is clearly riding high out of the water here - evidence of the weight of machinery, fittings and superstructure that had been removed. She would be scuttled a few kilometres east of Long Reef, off Sydney's Northern Beaches l...ater in the day. Bellubera's career as a Manly Ferry on Sydney Harbour spanned 63 years, and she was finally retired in 1973. Stuart McPherson. Wharf 22 Pyrmont, 1 August 1980.

12.01.2022 The veteran Manly ferry North Head cuts her way gracefully across Sydney Harbour from Circular Quay to Manly. This is a scene - and an experience - that will have been recalled across the decades by literally millions of Manly residents, Sydneysiders and tourists. These iconic vessels are to Sydney what red double decker buses are to London and cable trams to San Francisco. The world-famous Manly Ferries have been a popular (and often crowded!) part of Sydney life since the 1...880s. North Head was built right here in Sydney in 1913 - originally as the steamer Barrenjoey - and was not finally retired from service as a Manly Ferry until 1985. This fabulous longevity (72 years!) can be attributed partly to her Australian construction, and partly also to the extensive midlife refit that she received in the early 1950s during which she received her conversion from steam to diesel-electric propulsion. Of the six last old-style Manly Ferries that plied the Manly run it is well worth noting that three were built overseas (Dee Why, Curl Curl, South Steyne) and three built locally here in Australia (Bellubera, Baragoola, North Head). Of the former three, none lasted more than 40 years. Curl Curl lasted only 32. Of the latter three, Baragoola served 61 years, Bellubera 63 years, and North Head a whopping 72 years! Each of these three was built right here in Australia, and each of these three was given a long and comprehensive midlife refit. There is no reason to believe the current four Freshwater Manly Ferries also built right here in Australia during the 1980s are not capable of far greater longevity should the NSW State Government determine to retain them. By all accounts these large and capable vessels remain in extremely good and sound condition. Just saying. Stuart McPherson photo. Sunday 29 June 1980.

11.01.2022 Captain Ron Hart at the wheel of the 1922-built Manly Ferry Baragoola, along with deckhand Gary Stanley. Baragoola is heading up North Harbour on its approach to Manly Wharf at this particular moment. Stuart McPherson. Sunday 8 March 1981.

10.01.2022 Kummulla, 1903 (Dufty collection)

10.01.2022 Lady Northcott & Herron are still awaiting their fate at Thales in Newcastle. Photo: Geoff Lanes

10.01.2022 News Announcement on Freshwater Class Ferries.

10.01.2022 Engineer's station on the lower deck of the 1912-built wooden Sydney Harbour ferry Lady Denman. It was from this position that the engineer operated Lady Denman's 1950s-vintage four-cylinder Crossley diesel engine - directed by commands given from the wheelhouse via the polished brass engine room telegraph visible at top left of this photo. For those who were there back in the day, the sound of compressed air starting this vintage engine as the engineer turned the two big wh...eels was distinctive and memorable, as was the sound of the engine itself and the smell of diesel. The large cylinder heads atop the engine were visible to kids both little and big who took the time and interest to lean over the wooden balustrade and look down into the engine room. Constructed before the First World War as a coal-burning steam ferry, his veteran vessel was finally retired from service in 1979 after a career spanning 67 years of operation on Sydney Harbour. She will be well-remember by commuters and residents from Mosman, Cremorne Point, Neutral Bay, Greenwich, Hunters Hill, Balmain and Birchgrove where she operated regularly and reliably for many many years until the end of the 1970s. She is shown in this image laid up at Balmain Maintenance Depot in June 1979 immediately following her withdrawal from service. She had been replaced by the newly-constructed steel vessel Lady Street - which had just been delivered by her builders (the old NSW State Dockyard in Newcastle) and which was also tied up @ Balmain Yard at the time of this photo. Remarkably and wonderfully, Lady Denman survives to this day and can be seen at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum at Huskisson on the NSW South Coast. She is the last of the many dozens traditional large wooden-hulled Sydney ferries that is still in existence in 2020. Stuart McPherson photo. June 1979.

10.01.2022 Alma-G/Gymea/Tom Thumb III Type : Wooden motor vessel Launched : 1946 Builder : Alf Jahnsan, Forster, NSW... Gross weight : unknown Dimensions : unknown Passenger capacity : unknown Speed : unknown Registration : 17102 Alma-G was launched in 1946 and operated in the Forster area until 1952 when she was sold to Cliff Mallam and relocated to Cronulla. She received the new name of Gymea at this time and retained it until renamed to Tom Thumb III in 1982. She is one of a fleet of vessels used by Cronulla Ferries. (Image: Rob Gawthorne)

09.01.2022 The veteran Manly Ferry North Head awaiting her scheduled time @ Wharf 3 Circular Quay before departing for another 7-nautical mile trip across Sydney Harbour to Manly Wharf. North Head was built in 1913 locally in Sydney at Mort's Dock Woolwich - near Hunter's Hill. She was in those days the tall-funneled coal-burning steamer Barrenjoey. She continued in this guise until the early 1950s, powered as she was with her triple expansion reciprocating steam engine. At this point... she was then extensively rebuilt, re-engined with English Electric diesel-electric propulsion machinery, and renamed North Head. She remained operating on Sydney Harbour until December 1985, and was the last remaining older traditional Manly Ferry still in service. Also worth noting here are the office buildings in the background of this image along East Circular Quay. These are also now of course long gone. Their locations in our day are instead occupied by a set of rather well-located apartment blocks - 'The Toaster' being among them. Stuart McPherson photo. Circular Quay, June 1980.

09.01.2022 1894's Lady Manning - she survived until 1928

09.01.2022 Central Coast Ferries fleet together alongside the new Central Wharf at Davistown this morning. The 77 year old Codock II is surrounded by her slightly younger (by 60 years) sisters Saratoga and Sorrento. On the bow of Codock II are Father & Son George and Tim Conway who have worked hard keeping this little ferry service running through COVID. Well done CCF team. Photo: Glenn Cameron

08.01.2022 From Philip Morgan: Sirius is currently approaching Newcastle en route to Balmain after completing it's refit by Birdon Marine in Port Macquarie. Borrowdale is currently being completed Photo from ABC Mid North Coast. Sirius at Birdon Marine undergoing refit.

08.01.2022 Amelia K Type : Aluminium Launched : 1996 Builder : Jack Kirkpatrick, Sydney, NSW... Gross : unknown Dimensions : unknown Passenger capacity : 67 Speed : unknown Registration : 19025 Amelia K is one of the ferry fleet of the Church Point Ferry Service. (Image: Scotland Island Community Website)

08.01.2022 SS Annie Type : Wooden screw steamer Launched : 1882 Builder : W Dunn, Berry's Bay, NSW... Gross weight : 24 tons Dimensions : 60.50 x 13.40 x 5.70 (feet) Passenger capacity : 140 Speed : unknown ON : 83726 Annie was owned by the Annandale Co-operative Ferry Co Ltd. She operated on the route that stopped at Rozelle Bay, Annandale, Glebe Point, Pyrmont and Erskine Street (City). She also, on occasion, operated as a tug. The company commenced operating on the 15th of August, 1896. The Annandale company was owned by Matthew Byrnes who also operated the Watsons Bay service and as the vessel had been constructed for him it is likely she operated on that route prior to teaming with Lilac on the new route. She was fitted with a 10hp steam engine, Annie had an open deck forward and a ladies saloon at the aft. On the 30th of December 1894, the vessel filled with water after having been beached at Pyrmont to have work done on her propellor, she failed to refloat. It was thought that the accident occurred as workmen had failed to empty her fore tank. The vessel suffered no damage during her immersion. In April of 1905 she reversed into the Lady Manning, remaining trapped under her sponson for a considerable period of time; damage to each vessel was slight. On the 2nd of June 1905, the ferry suffered a serious mishap in a collision with a timber punt at the Johnston Street wharf which sent her to the bottom, the damage was extensive and cost close to one hundred pounds (a considerable sum at the time) to repair. It was noted that it took only one minute after the collision for the ferry to sink, but that in that time all 115 passengers were able to get off at the wharf. The court of enquiry laid the blame for the accident on the owners of the timber punt (Langdon and Langdon). On the morning of 13th of November 1907 she struck the wharf at Erskine Street - a horizontal beam on the wharf snapped her flagstaff, smashed the stempost and caused her deckhouse to collpase, there were no injuries and she was soon repaired and back in service. By 1910, ownership had passed to Robert Ghest (Sydney) and then by 1920 she had passed to Bernard Einerson of Balmain and finally in 1930 she was owned by one Alfred Auland (Sydney). She was broken up in December of 1934 after chalking up a remarkable 52 years on the harbour.

07.01.2022 Neutral Bay on the Macleay River in 1899, it was previously a north shore ferry.

07.01.2022 Flagship Collaroy departing the Quay this evening. Photo: Haig Gilchrist.

07.01.2022 Former Manly Jet Cat Sir David Martin has sadly been lost on its run in the Philippines. Looks like she got holed on her port side after running aground. Photos taken under tow when she looks to have taken on water and sunk. Not sure about passenger status however from the photographic evidence it is doubtful they were still aboard. No evidence of life rafts or jackets in the water. This leaves only the Blue Fin left of the original three. Brett Smith

07.01.2022 The veteran Manly Ferry North Head @ Balmain Maintenance Yard. Even when she's in the Yard for her annual refit - as she is in this image - North Head's good looks and shapely lines are all too evident. Stuart McPherson. March 1980.

07.01.2022 Lady McKell, January 1970 (GKA)

06.01.2022 Friendship and Hunter undergoing refits at Port Macquarie. Photo: Geoff Lanes

06.01.2022 A rather crowded Lady Northcott arriving @ Manly Wharf one fine 1979 weekend. Following the 1973 retirement of Bellubera and the 1974 fire aboard South Steyne, the famous Manly Ferry service was now permanently down to just two boats - the elderly Baragoola and North Head. This of course was a woefully inadequate arrangement - and it now rendered the old three-boat half-hourly service impossible. Potentially, just one vessel would be left carrying the service in the event of... refit repair or refuelling for the other. Enter the 1974-built Ladies Wakehurst and Northcott. Built originally as large Sydney inner-harbour ferries, these were both pressed into service as regular Manly boats with additional gangways hastily cut into their upper deck steelwork. They were relatively small - and by standard measures they offered inadequate capacity for the big crowds normal on weekends or peak hour commuter trips. However, they in effect saved the Manly Ferry service in the years before the arrivals of the Freshwaters, and they now enabled a three-boat service almost all of the time. In fact, in the late 1970s / early 1980s it was a rare thing to see these two boats operating other than as Manly Ferries. Stuart McPherson. May 1979.

06.01.2022 The former 106 year old Promote, now Macquarie Star being lifted out for some maintenance.

06.01.2022 Baragoola, South Steyne and Bellubera with Steam Tug Waratah on the opening day of the Sydney Opera House - 20th Oct 1973. Photo: AFS Collection

06.01.2022 Borrowdale heading down the NSW coast from Port Macquarie after completion of her refit. Photo: Steve Fletcher

05.01.2022 Central Coast Ferries cats Saratoga and Sorrento plus the 40 footers Codock II and the Hydra this morning in the bay.

05.01.2022 Baragoola enters Sydney Cove

05.01.2022 Baragoola and Narrabeen, October 18, 2011 (Nick Pellier)

04.01.2022 The double ended traditional Manly Ferries are one of the last remaining true icons of Sydney Harbour. Just as Hong Kong have maintained their historic double enders, so should we. They encapsulate over 150 years of maritime history. I understand that the Freshwater Class are approaching an age where the economics of maintaining them may not stack up. At the very least however, consideration should be given to a worthy replacement, built here in Australia that can continue the iconic nature of the historic Manly Ferry service. Brett Smith - Admin

04.01.2022 The veteran Manly Ferry North Head arrives at Manly Wharf. It's a midwinter weeknight and a low tide is happening in Sydney Harbour at the time of this photo. North Head was originally built locally right here in Sydney in 1913 as the coal-burning steamer Barrenjoey - and in the early 1950s would be converted to diesel-electric propulsion and extensively rebuilt. She would finally be retired in December 1985 after a remarkable career stretching 72 years, and was the last rem...aining traditional Manly Ferry still doing the famous 7-nautical mile trip. Stuart McPherson. Wednesday 18 June 1980.

03.01.2022 North Head at Circular Quay, 1959 (Walkabout)

03.01.2022 Engineer's station on the lower deck of the 1912-built wooden Sydney Harbour ferry Lady Denman. It was from this position that the engineer operated Lady Denman's 1950s-vintage four-cylinder Crossley diesel engine - directed by commands given from the wheelhouse via the polished brass engine room telegraph visible at top left of this photo. For those who were there back in the day, the sound of compressed air starting this vintage engine as the engineer turned the two big wh...eels was distinctive and memorable, as was the sound of the engine itself and the smell of diesel. The large cylinder heads atop the engine were visible to kids both little and big who took the time and interest to lean over the wooden balustrade and look down into the engine room. Constructed before the First World War as a coal-burning steam ferry, his veteran vessel was finally retired from service in 1979 after a career spanning 67 years of operation on Sydney Harbour. She will be well-remember by commuters and residents from Mosman, Cremorne Point, Neutral Bay, Greenwich, Hunters Hill, Balmain and Birchgrove where she operated regularly and reliably for many many years until the end of the 1970s. She is shown in this image laid up at Balmain Maintenance Depot in June 1979 immediately following her withdrawal from service. She had been replaced by the newly-constructed steel vessel Lady Street - which had just been delivered by her builders (the old NSW State Dockyard in Newcastle) and which was also tied up @ Balmain Yard at the time of this photo. Remarkably and wonderfully, Lady Denman survives to this day and can be seen at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum at Huskisson on the NSW South Coast. She is the last of the many dozens traditional large wooden-hulled Sydney ferries that is still in existence in 2020. Stuart McPherson photo. June 1979.

02.01.2022 Aleathea was originally built as a double ended ferry for Charles Jeannerett's Parramatta River service by Rock Davis of Blackwall (Woy Woy) in 1881. Dimensions were 109.6 feet by 18.3 feet by 7.6 feet and driven by a 50hp compound steam engine . She had a capacity of some five hundred passengers and had a gross weight of 120 tons. She holds the title of being the very first ferry in Sydney to have had electric lighting fitted.... In 1892 she suffered the misfortune of dropping a propellor which had the effect of making her faster. As a result she was modified to be a single ended ferry and at the same time was re-engined. In 1894, with two hundred people aboard, she suffered a serious accident when she collided with the government steamer Sol. No lives were lost however Alathea suffered considerable damage to her bows requiring her to be beached at Blues Point. In the subsequent Court of Marine Inquiry, the master of the Sol was found to be at fault. Along with the big river steamer Bronzewing and the smaller Osprey, she ran regular excursions to the Fern Bay Picnic Grounds in the late 1800's under the ownership of P. Walker (Parramatta River Steamers and Tramway Company). She figured in a rather mysterious incident on the 1st of July 1912 when the master of the ferry reported that a sick passenger had disappeared while the vessel was crossing the harbour. Although a body was found in the harbour later on, the description did not match that of the missing passenger whose hat and neatly folded overcoat were located on the ferry. Apparently the missing passenger was never found. Like the remaining boats of the Parrramatta River service she was ultimately sold to Sydney Ferries Limited who operated her until she was replaced by the Karingal in 1913. Karingal received her engines and boilers. After being withdrawn from service and stripped, she was converted for use as a lighter for the Parramatta cargo service. The ultimate fate of this pioneering vessel is unknown.

02.01.2022 The 1912-built Sydney ferry Kanangra on one of her popular harbour cruise trips - which ran on Wednesdays and weekends, taking a leisurely 2 hours including a full hour exploring Middle Harbour. She's seen here in Sailors Bay (Middle Harbour) with Castlecrag in the background. That's Northbridge Sailing Club close to the camera in the foreground. These cruises were run by the Urban Transit Authority (previously by the Public Transport Commission of NSW) and were the best va...lue-for-money harbour cruises to be had at this time. Kanangra usually did the weekend trips due to the large number of customers who would turn up - especially in the warmer months. Kanangra was built locally in Sydney before the First World War - initially as a coal-burning steamer - and was finally retired from working on Sydney Harbour in 1985 after a long and remarkable 73-year career. Wonderfully, she survives to this day and is currently under preservation and restoration by the Sydney Heritage Fleet, located in Sydney's Rozelle Bay. SHF's intention is to restore her to full operating condition, powered by her 1950s-vintage Crossley diesel engine. Stuart McPherson. October 1979.

01.01.2022 Manly ferry Kuring-Gai at Circular Quay, probably Binngarra behind - after 1905

01.01.2022 From Andrew Fuller: For your interest. This is a 8mm film clip of the South Steyne on its way to Manly off Middle Head in 1964. Taken by my dad John Fuller.

01.01.2022 The magnificent Baragoola - crossing Sydney Heads one late Autumn weekend. The 1922-built Manly Ferry Baragoola - built locally right here in Australia (Mort's Dock @ Balmain) - was approaching on 60 years of age at the time of this photo. She would finally be retired in early 1983 as the new (and Australian built) Freshwaters were starting to come into commission. Wonderful quality & wonderful longevity from the locally-built article. A major mid-life refit @ just under 40... years of age (very late 1950s to early 1960s) would go on to give her an additional two full decades of service to the people of NSW! Just saying. Stuart McPherson. Saturday 10 May 1980.

01.01.2022 PS Alma Type : Wooden paddlewheel steam ship Launched : 20/02/1855 Builder : J Booth, Balmain, NSW... Gross : 28 tons Dimensions : 62.00 x 10.20 x 5.20 (feet) Passenger capacity : 80 Speed : unknown ON : 59516 Alma was the second vessel used by Henry Perdriau for his Balmain Steam Ferry operations. The building of this vessel allowed Perdriau to extend his service to Bald Rock in Johnstones Bay, Annandale. Her engines, installed in April of 1855, developing 15hp, were built locally at Balmain by a gentleman named Swan. The vessel was capable of carrying horses and carriages as well as passengers which may indicate she was a tow boat for a horse punt. Almost immediately, she had her first accident when, on the 31st of August 1856, she collided with another steamer (the Pearl). Her master, Archibald Macbeth was charged with being "in breach of steamboat regulations" although the water police could not prove that he was in charge of the vessel at the time; as a result the charges were dropped. In the late 1870's the company and the ferries were sold to John Watson who continued to operate the service. Her last owner was Joseph B. Barden from Windsor, NSW Alma was broken up in 1891.