Rally being held on Sunday to try and save the old lady class ferries Herron and Northcott

ENGINES or parts produced by 3-D printing might be a cost-effective option to help keep Sydney’s last Lady Class ferries running, according to a campaigner who has urged people to rally to save them.

Freya Boughton and artist Peter Kingston are petitioning to reverse the decision to decommission the lady class ferries. Picture: Hollie Adams

• Fight to save lady class ferries
• Amber Sherlock in the wild

ENGINES or parts produced by 3-D printing might be a cost-effective option to help keep Sydney’s last Lady Class ferries running, according to a campaigner who has urged people to rally to save them. The rally is at Taronga Zoo ferry wharf on Sunday at 2pm.

Freya Boughton, one of the rally organisers, also started an online petition to save “the mighty” ladies Northcott and Herron about two months ago. The petition has about 1600 supporters so far.

The ladies entered service in the mid to late 1970s. Their replacement is part of the NSW Government’s $52-million Inner Harbour Ferry project, which includes six new vessels. The Government is still to decide on the ladies’ future after they leave service in late 2017.

The Northcott and Herron have been regular sights on Sydney Harbour since the 1970s.

Ms Boughton said supporters wanted to keep the last ladies for a minimum of 50 years. “The Government needs to have a conversation with (Sydney Ferries operator) Harbour City Ferries and the community to find a solution,” she said.

“I am sure they can negotiate a good price so Harbour City Ferries can keep running these two ladies.”

Ms Boughton has kept politicians up-to-date with the petition’s progress and hopes to gather 10,000 online signatures.

“We wouldn’t get rid of the Opera House, so why remove our iconic ferries?” she said.

“I have heard the new ferries have teething problems and have broken down a few times. The new catamarans don’t cope well in the wind, so this would be worst at Cremorne Point.”

The lady class ferries are being replaced as part of the Inner Harbour Ferry project.

However, some spare parts for the ladies are no longer made and the vessels’ maintenance costs are about five times those of the new vessels.

Last year, a Lady Northcott engine failure saw her out of service for two months while replacement parts were sourced.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said the new ferries would be progressively introduced into service with all six in operation later this year to meet increased demand.

“The first of the new ferries, the Fred Hollows, entered service in June while the Victor Chang is in the final stages of commissioning and is expected to be carrying passengers shortly,” the spokesman said.

Visit change.org/p/andrew-constance-mp-save-our-lady-northcott-and-lady-heron-ferries to sign the petition.