Re: Ferry Observations 2023

[jpp42]

There's a huge backlog for the dry dock at Garden Island, as the Navy has a large number of broken ships and has been invoking their priority privileges over the Captain Cook graving dock. As a result many commercial bookings are delayed by months - I suspect this is what's delaying Queenscliff.

Although sometimes the Freshwater class have gone to Port Macquarie or even Brisbane for docking, not sure if that's still an option.

[boronia]

Queenscliff was scheduled to go back in August at the time it was removed earlier this year. On board work is being carried out while it is moored at Cockatoo.

[boronia]

Wharves on the way!

Transport for NSW is set to begin building new ferry wharfs at La Perouse and Kurnell commencing in July. A ferry service is planned to run between the two wharves.

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projec ... ry-wharves

[Transport Buff]

River class ferry 'Cheryl Salisbury' hits Barangaroo Wharf this morning (2/6/23)...

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new ... 5dd8x.html

[Kiyrri]

River class ferry 'Cheryl Salisbury' hits Barangaroo Wharf this morning (2/6/23)...

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new ... 5dd8x.html

Serves the "cockroaches" right. Get them all out of the harbour.

[Linto63]

Queenscliff and Narrabeen to be returned to service to join the Freshwater with Collaroy to be retired in September.

Three of Sydney’s four large Manly ferries to be kept in operation (Sydney Morning Herald)

[boronia]

Gotta laugh at how Minns is claiming the Libs "retired" the Queenscliff, but they are bringing it back into service.

[Swift]

They're spending millions getting them prepared for service. Not a guarantee though as they have sold off at least one ferry for a song not long after a refit.

[HunterLine5]

Why not send the Collaroy up to the Tomago Shipyard and let the Hunter Valley Training School apprentices have a go at it?.
Surely they could machine the new parts with all their lathes and so on?.
They could use the mechanical blueprints that these vessels have and work off them.
What is there to lose, it’s DEFINITELY worth saving, when it was built here in NEWCASTLE .

[Swift]

I'm grateful that the Labor government is bringing back some sanity into the mix. It would be ideal saving the Collaroy though.

[tonyp]

I'm grateful that the Labor government is bringing back some sanity into the mix. It would be ideal saving the Collaroy though.

A-grade insanity.

[Stu]

Wharves on the way!

Transport for NSW is set to begin building new ferry wharfs at La Perouse and Kurnell commencing in July. A ferry service is planned to run between the two wharves.

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projec ... ry-wharves

The status of a new ferry wharf at Rhodes remains as location under review since May 2016. The web page was last reviewed 14/2/2023. There has been brief mentions on other websites and an article by the Daily Telegraph in 2021.
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/proje ... odes-wharf

[Swift]

I'm grateful that the Labor government is bringing back some sanity into the mix. It would be ideal saving the Collaroy though.

A-grade insanity.

Cost? Vessels too old? Lack of parts to keep them going? Yes?

[Linto63]

Has been suggested that the return of the Freshwaters may in turn release vessels for the proposed Botany Bay service which appears to still be going ahead despite some members of the government having been less than enthusiastic when in opposition.

[alleve]

Has been suggested that the return of the Freshwaters may in turn release vessels for the proposed Botany Bay service which appears to still be going ahead despite some members of the government having been less than enthusiastic when in opposition.

Do we know how the service will be run? ie will it be the same as all of Sydney's other F-series ferry services?

[Swift]

If Palm Beach and Ettalong Beach can have a ferry, they must too. Getting between the two is unacceptably long to not have a ferry service.

[boronia]

We don't know yet what the "return of the Freshwaters" will entail. Maybe keeping a couple of Emeralds to provide the faster services, despite the MFF improvements?

There is still some doubt if the Kurnell service would be full time, or just weekends?

[Aurora]

I don’t think that detail has been released yet, although I am fairly sure they were looking for a privately operated service. But with the recent change in government it can all change again.

[Fleet Lists]

There is no mention of a temporary timetable but there is still 2 weeks to go before the closure starts.

Existing timetable will probably remain in place with ferries having a longer layover at Darling Point.

A 13 June timetable is now available https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230613.pdf

[Fleet Lists]

https://transportnsw.info/news/2023/shu ... y-services

Shuttle bus temporarily replacing Ettalong and Wagstaffe ferry services
Saturday 17 June 2023

Due to shifting sand bars in the Ettalong Channel, Ettalong and Wagstaffe ferries are suspended with services terminating at Patonga.

From Monday 19 June, a free shuttle bus service will run between Ettalong and Patonga Wharfs to assist ferry passengers during key travel times.

Monday to Friday the shuttle bus will run as follows:
Morning peak - 5.30am to 9.30am
Afternoon peak - 2.30pm to 6.30pm
Weekend shuttle bus services will run extended hours during the day to meet the current scheduled timetable.
The shuttle bus will leave approximately 35 minutes before the ferry departure time from Patonga wharf.

A shuttle ferry service for Wagstaffe passengers to meet the shuttle bus at Ettalong wharf will be available soon, and approval for dredging works are currently being sought.

[Fleet Lists]

Quoting from the Daily Telegraph

In NSW news, the state government says it has “no option” but to forge ahead with plans to build the Kurnell and La Perouse ferry wharves despite a 333 per cent cost blowout.
Work on building two new wharves – aimed at reinvigorating tourism in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park – will start this week.
According to confidential briefings seen by Transport Minister Jo Haylen, building the new wharves will cost $78m, up from the latest estimate of $65m – and well up on the original $18m price tag when the project was conceived in 2018.

[Fleet Lists]

There appears to be a new Taronga Zoo timetable issued yesterday https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230618.pdf

No idea what the difference is with the previous one which is linked to an archived version https://web.archive.org/web/20230410043 ... 220619.pdf

[Fleet Lists]

And also a new F6 timetable https://transportnsw.info/documents/tim ... 230618.pdf

[Merc1107]

Quoting from the Daily Telegraph

In NSW news, the state government says it has “no option” but to forge ahead with plans to build the Kurnell and La Perouse ferry wharves despite a 333 per cent cost blowout.
Work on building two new wharves – aimed at reinvigorating tourism in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park – will start this week.
According to confidential briefings seen by Transport Minister Jo Haylen, building the new wharves will cost $78m, up from the latest estimate of $65m – and well up on the original $18m price tag when the project was conceived in 2018.

The price of everything is soaring at the moment. The other day, I read on the ABC a fairly significant road project near Darwin (grade separation of a major intersection) faced cost blowouts, because the Government had based its costings on the original plans for the project, conceived during the 1980s

[tonyp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci5EL4fGnA0