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Chris Minns Govt to bring back Manly Freshwater ferries??

Via the Telly:

Manly Freshwater ferries set to return to fulltime weekdays to boost commuter services

The fate of a plan to bring back the beloved 40-year-old Manly ferries to regular weekday services under the new Labor Government has been decided. See the outcome here.


Jim O'Rourke @JimORourke6
3 min read
April 4, 2023 - 4:14PM



The old and the new just off Manly Wharf. An the old Freshwater-class ferry, Freshwater, passes the Balmoral, of the three new troubled Emerald-class Gen 2 ferries. The new Labor state government is preparing to permanently return the old ferries to regular weekday services. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The iconic 40-year-old Manly ferries are set to be permanently returned to full time weekday services by the new Labor state government.

New Transport Minister Jo Haylen has confirmed the Labor Government will return as many of the beloved Freshwater-class vessels as possible back on the Monday to Friday runs to Circular Quay.

And the new government will continue to provide an express ferry option to commuters — but not necessarily use the troubled fleet of generation-2 Emerald-class ferries now operating on the route.


Transport Jo Haylen says she will follow through on an election commitment to return as many Freshwater-class ferries as possible to the Manly run. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Ms Haylen has already received a briefing from transport officials about when and how the refurbished older ferries can be fully brought back into service.

The Freshwater-class ferries — Narrabeen, Freshwater, Collaroy and Queenscliff — were taken out of service to be replaced by the smaller, faster and more frequent Emerald-class twin-hulled ferries in late 2021.

The previous Coalition government argued the older ferries were costing too much to run and maintain.
But after a community pushback, two of the old ferries — Freshwater and Collaroy — were brought back for weekends and public holidays only.

Then in September last year the former government announced that two of the Freshwaters — the Collaroy and the Freshwater — were being called back into weekday work after the new Gen 2 Emerald ferries were temporarily pulled from service for safety reasons.


The three new generation 2 Emerald-class ferries have been beset by safety and mechanical probelms. Picture: NSW Government

The Queenscliff was brought back into service in December to replace the Collaroy, due to be decommissioned later this year.

The three Emerald Gen 2 ferries — Fairlight, Clontarf and Balmoral — have been plagued by problems including cracks in the hull of one vessel.

Late last month the Fairlight was travelling at high speed at approximately 7:30pm on a Sunday, with 150 passengers on-board, when its primary steering failed. It was the ninth steering failure that the overseas built ferry has had since it began service.

Both other Emerald Class 2 Manly ferries, have also had multiple steering failures.

In the run up to the election, Ms Haylen said a Labor Government would be committed to returning refurbished Freshwaters to regular weekday services.


The Collaroy leaving Manly Wharf. Picture: Damian Shaw

It also said there would still be a need for an express service on the Manly route and that discussions would be held with Transport officials about whether other vessels in the Sydney Harbour fleet, not necessarily the Gen 2 Emeralds, would be used.

In a letter read out at the Save the Manly Ferry rally in July Ms Haylen wrote that the current Coalition government had a “failed policy” in getting rid of the “beloved, reliable, Australian-made” Freshwater ferries.

“The people of Manly and the northern beaches deserve a reliable Manly ferry service, which isn’t reliant on overseas built ferries, filled with defects, and which are constantly being taken out of service,” she wrote.

“That’s why I’ll keep working with you to return as many Freshwater class ferries as possible back to the Manly run …

“And that’s why I’ll work with you to deliver a better express service because the Emerald 2 ferries are simply not up to the task, particularly in rough seas”.

On Tuesday Ms Haylen said the Minns Labor Government “stands by our election commitments to deliver a reliable Manly ferry service”.

“It is clear the former Liberal government has left behind serious procurement failures and other issues with our ferry network,” she said.


The Balmoral Gen 2 Emerald-class ferry is smaller, quicker and more frequent than the Freshwater-class ferries. Picture: David Swift

“We will now start the work to fix the many issues facing our ferry system.”

Labor’s ferry pledge was welcomed by community campaigners who fought to keep the Freshwaters until a better alternative was found.

Chair of the Save the Manly Ferry Alliance, Candy Bingham, who is also on Northern Beaches Council for the Manly Ward, said “this is good news”

“This is what the community has been saying from day one, the Freshwaters should remain until a more suitable replacement ferry can be put in place.”

Ms Bingham is helping organise a lobbying effort to have electric ferries, with a seating capacity similar to the Freshwater vessels, eventually take over Manly services.

“I want to acknowledge Jo Haylen and the Labor Government for following through on their commitment to maintain the Freshwaters for the time being.”

MTF...P2