Manly ferry: Shadow Transport Minister Chris Minns joins fight to save iconic Freshwater class ferries
The Shadow Transport Minister has voiced fears for the last remaining iconic Manly ferry, as one woman — who lives on the other side of the world — starts a campaign to save them.
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Shadow Transport Minister Chris Minns says he holds grave fears that the Government’s promise to save one of the iconic Freshwater class ferry is just a short term plan.
Last week the NSW Government confirmed that just one Freshwater class vessel will remain in the Manly fleet and will only to be used at the weekends.
Smaller, faster Emerald class ferries will replace the Freshwater class vessels in the week and support the iconic ferry at the weekends.
“I think without the community pressure they would not have kept even one (Freshwater class) ferry operating,” Mr Minns said.
“In reality keeping one is a token and a short term plan.
“I’m cynical but it’s a way to get everyone off their back for a bit.”
Mr Minns said having a full maintenance service for just one Freshwater class ferry is expensive, an argument the Government could put forward in the future as a reason to scrap the remaining ferry.
Minister for Transport Andrew Constance has previously given his commitment to run the single Freshwater class ferry “forever and a day, it’s not going to be taken off the harbour”.
The Shadow Transport Minister was in Manly at 8.30am on Friday, with campaigners from the Save Manly Ferries group, to survey ferry passengers and locals.
The group wants the NSW Government to reverse its decision and keep all four ferries, as well as come up with a plan on their continued use in the future.
Cr Candy Bingham, deputy mayor of Northern Beaches Council, is spearheading the Save Manly Ferries campaign.
The group will be delivering 30,000 call-to-action postcards to homes from next week, is planning on encouraging shops to put up posters and is looking at installing banners and releasing videos in an online campaign.
“People are actually outraged and quite stunned,” Cr Bingham said.
“They can’t understand why the government is even considering getting rid of Sydney’s major icons and replacing it with fast ferries, we already have fast ferries.
“People choose to take a slow ferry because they want the experience of coming to Manly.
“It’s about the trip, not about the destination.”
She said she was encouraged by the support she was getting from the community.
The plight of the ferries has even reached the other side of the world, with a Norwegian-based women launching a souvenir calendar featuring photographs of Sydney’s iconic Freshwater class ferries.
“I was so saddened by the news that Sydney’s lovely, iconic Freshwater class ferries were to be phased out I was determined to do something to celebrate them,” Lisa Sutton Lipman said.
“And I felt I needed to do something to help save them, too.
“I hope the souvenir calendars will inspire people to call on the NSW Government to rethink its decision to retire the ferries.
“The Manly Ferries don’t just belong to Sydney – they are a treasure that have been enjoyed by people from all around the world for decades.”
Ms Sutton Lipman’s own connections with Manly ferries – and Norway – go back to 1901 when her great grandfather, Norwegian sailor Claus Clausen, jumped ship and ended up working on the docks at Walsh Bay.
Mr Clausen later had a go at piloting the Manly Ferry, too.
Four generations later, Lisa was born and raised in Freshwater.
A few years ago, while researching her Norwegian roots online, Ms Sutton Lipman, met her future husband Ole.
They married, eventually moved back to Norway and now live in the oil town Stavanger, where Ole is an engineer.
To help process her homesickness, Ms Sutton Lipman started the popular ‘Lost Manly’ Facebook group, which has 22,000 members worldwide, the members sharing their own memories, images and stories of living in Manly – and their love of the four iconic ferries, Freshwater, Queenscliff, Narrabeen and Collaroy.
“Our group’s members include ferry deckhands, ferry masters who steer the ships, and photographers with a penchant for taking ferry photos, among many, many others passionate about the Freshwater ferries,” she said.
The calendars are available online at lostmanlythenorthernbeaches.com for $29.95.
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