Arthur Phillip Chapter of the Fellowship of the first Fleeters
  • Welcome
    • About Arthur Phillip Chapter
    • Chapter Membership
    • Contact Us
    • Roll of members' First Fleeters
    • My Heritage, Colonial Family Stories >
      • Fulton, Rev Henry James
      • Bellett, Jacob, First Fleeter
      • Hibbs, Peter & Pardoe, Mary
      • Weavers, James, 2nd Fleeter
      • Weavers, James Part 2
      • Wentworth, William Charles
      • Williams, James, FF Welsh Marine
      • Wright, James, FF Scarborough
    • Snippets of History >
      • Snippet in Brief
      • First Fleet ferries to be refurbished
      • Central Railway Refurbishment
      • Our Flag - a poem
      • Captain Cook & Botany Bay
      • La Perouse and First Fleet Park, Matraville
      • It's a Scorcher on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
      • Australia's Secret Code-Breakers
      • Sydney Observatory
      • Sydney's first post offices
      • Charge of Australian Light Horse at Beersheva WW1
      • Battle of Waterloo
      • Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
      • South Head's history
      • Sir Henry Parkes
      • Conservatorium of Music, Sydney
      • Westminster Abbey Memorials & Citation
      • Wallabadah First Fleet Park, NSW
  • Meetings
    • About our Meetings & Activities
    • Calendar of Events
    • Location, how to get there
    • Recent Events & Activities >
      • Report on 9th Anniversary luncheon
      • Report on visit to Rookwood Cemetery
      • Report on State Library tour 3.5.19
      • Report on Anzac Day Dawn Service 25.4.19
      • Report on cruise of Brisbane Waters NSW
      • Report on Matthew Flinders presentation by Paul Brunton
      • Report on Tasmanian Convict Heritage Tour 2018
      • Report on Wireless Centenary 22.9.18
      • Report on Susannah Place
      • The Big Dig, The Rocks
      • Report Excursion to Victoria Barracks
      • Report on Ships & Shore cruise 2.11.17
      • Report on Pioneer Park official opening
  • Fellowship of First Fleeters
    • About Fellowship of First Fleeters
    • About the First Fleet
    • HMS Sirius Flag Ship of the First Fleet
    • Dr John White, First Fleet Surgeon
    • Health of the First Fleet
    • Weather Secrets
    • Map of the First Fleet Voyage
    • How to write FFF biographical profiles
  • Governor Arthur Phillip
    • Phillip's Early Years
    • Arthur Phillip: Speech by Dr Stephen Cunneen
    • Exploration of Middle Harbour Creek
    • Exploration of Manly & Harbour
    • Governor Phillip Lookout & Memorial at Beacon Hill
    • Exploration of Lane Cove River
    • The Phillip Bricks
  • Research & Study
    • Research Guidelines
    • Websites & Facebook for Family History Research
    • Government Websites for Social History Research >
      • Australian Constitution
    • Websites for Historical & Family Heritage Societies
    • Overseas Websites for Family History Research
    • Free Build Your Own FamilyTree Websites
    • Chapter Library & Catalogue
    • MORE >
      • Chapter Policies
      • Acknowledgements
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The First Fleet ferries race on Sydney Harbour on Australia Day. Credit Rick Rycroft
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First Fleet ferries entered service on Sydney Harbour in the 1980s. Fishburn ferry passing Sydney Opera House. Credit James Brickwood
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Manly ferries often battle massive swells when crossing the Heads of Sydney Harbour though rarely cancelled.​ Credit James Alcock
Ferry U-turn: First Fleet vessels now set for upgrade in plan reversal
 
By Matt O'Sullivan
May 5, 2019
 
The state government has ditched plans to retire Sydney's nine First Fleet ferries, instead deciding to upgrade them and extend their working life for at least another decade.  The First Fleet vessels – perhaps best known for their Australia Day race on Sydney Harbour – will each undergo a $1.3 million refit, including work to improve passenger accessibility.
 
The decision to upgrade the First Fleet ferries is a U-turn on the strategy detailed in internal government documents obtained by the Herald under freedom-of-information laws.  They reveal a four-stage "ferry fleet replacement" plan 18 months ago was to retire the First Fleet ferries as part of "tranche three", as well as seven RiverCat and two HarbourCat vessels.
 
The documents reveal that the "full replacement" of the large Freshwater-class ferries, which ply the popular Manly-Circular Quay route, has been on the drawing board since at least late 2017, despite internal plans for their future becoming public only last month.

The cost of refitting the First Fleet vessels, which began plying the harbour in the 1980s, has been estimated by Transport for NSW at about $1.3 million each.  In comparison, internal figures leaked from the agency have estimated the cost of replacing the First Fleet ferries, seven RiverCat vessels and two HarbourCats at about $120 million.  In response to questions, Transport for NSW said the strategy in the documents in late 2017 had been "superseded" and planning was underway to upgrade the First Fleet vessels.

"This is expected to add another 10 years to the life of these vessels, extending their service well into the 2030s," it said in a statement. "The upgrade will include improvements to their accessibility through the installation of technology such as hearing loops."  The agency said "no decision" had been made on the future of the four Freshwater-class ferries or the seven RiverCats. The latter form the backbone of Parramatta River services.

The future of the Freshwater-class ferries which ply the Manly-Circular Quay route remains uncertain.  
 
By Matt O'Sullivan, the Transport Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
 

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