Manly Ferry: Scrapped ferries could have second life as tourist boats in harbour
Two of the iconic Freshwater class ferries that are being culled from the Manly to city route could be re-purposed as tourist boats.
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Two of the iconic Manly ferries that will be retired from service could be re-purposed as tourist boats.
Manly MP James Griffin said it is hoped the Queenscliff and the Narrabeen ferries will get a second life after they are decommissioned from the Manly to city route.
He said the NSW Government was calling for private tourism operators, like Captain Cook Cruises, to come forward with proposals.
He said he could see the boats being used for harbour cruises with perhaps a stop in Manly.
A new fleet of smaller Emerald class ferries will take over the Manly to Circular Quay run from around the middle of this year.
Two of the Freshwater class ferries that have been saved, the Freshwater and the Collaroy, will continue to operate but only on weekends and public holidays.
However, the news two ferries have been saved comes as the Shadow Minister for Transport Chris Minns said scrapping the iconic Manly ferries during the week will impact the $500 million tourism industry on the northern beaches.
More than a million tourists visit the peninsula each year and around 12 per cent of jobs in the northern beaches rely on tourism.
Mr Minns said the decision by the NSW Government was a kick in the guts to residents, just five days after they emerged from a COVID-19 lockdown.
“This is a cruel blow to every business on the northern beaches,” he said.
“You cannot cram a million tourists into a couple of ferries running on a weekend timetable. “My fear is that tourists will stop coming to Manly when these ferries are scrapped.
“The NSW Liberals have destroyed any chance the local tourism industry has of recovering after the pandemic.”
He added the replacement vessels are small, unsafe and riddled with defects.
Mr Minns said the decision to save two ferries was not about the ferries but about saving James Griffin.
“The northern beaches tossed Tony Abbott about because he didn’t represent them. It’s time to do the same to James Griffin,” Mr Minns said.
Mr Griffin hit back at Labor saying they didn’t know what they were talking about and “this was the time to have a serious conversation about tourism” not make wild claims.
“This is just scaremongering,” Mr Griffin said.
“Manly is more than how to get here on the ferry.
“This isn’t the time to be running scare campaigns.”
Mr Griffin said residents and tourists will enjoy a more frequent a faster service in the week between Circular Quay and Manly, with the opportunity to experience the iconic Freshwater class ferries at the weekends.
He said the other two ferries that are to be retired could become boats solely for tourists.
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