This was meant to be the day the large Manly ferries were out of action on Sydney Harbour for six weeks, but instead, the Freshwater-class vessels will be on the water in greater numbers.

The Narrabeen will be back in action on the Circular Quay-Manly route from Monday, returning into service after a life-enhancing refurbishment including a full engine rebuild, and before what is expected to be a record summer for ferry patronage. Along with hull repairs and the installation of modern control systems and CCTV upgrades, the Narrabeen boasts refreshed areas for up to 900 passengers.

Transport Minister John Graham said the ferries were not only loved by Sydneysiders, but a trip to Manly and back “on one of them is part of so many Sydney holiday bucket lists for visitors to our city”.

“Ferry patronage has been rising, and we expect the harbour to be abuzz over the coming summer months,” he said.

The Narrabeen underwent repairs in a dry dock at Sydney’s Garden Island this year and it had been due to return to service on the Manly route once the maintenance work on wharf two was completed in late November. Since the wharf’s closure has been delayed, its return to service has been accelerated.

The Freshwater, its sister vessel, is next in line for a major overhaul under a $71 million refurbishment for three of the four ferries in the class. It will exit service next month for the first stage of repairs, meaning there will be a few weeks of overlap operating alongside the Narrabeen and Queenscliff, before its date with the Garden Island dry dock in March.

The Narrabeen entered service in 1984 and had been earmarked for the scrap heap under the former government’s plans, but the latest refurbishment should ensure it is operational for another five years before its next major docking.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the government was delivering on its commitment “to keep an icon of Sydney on the water”. He thanked community campaigners who had fought to retain the Freshwater-class ferries.

“This vessel is part of Sydney’s history, and after a much-needed upgrade, it’s ready to transport thousands of passengers across the harbour this summer,” he said.

The NSW government was last week unwilling to guarantee construction would start on upgrading Circular Quay’s aged ferry wharves and promenade before the next state poll in March 2027.

The revamp of the wharves and promenade promised before the last election has stalled, although Transport for NSW confirmed that $190 million has been spent on the project to date, mostly on planning.

The fate of the double-ended Collaroy, the youngest of the four renowned Freshwater-class Manly ferries, remains up in the air due to challenges of finding a new owner or a community group to look after it.

The Collaroy is tied up indefinitely at Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour as the state government decides its future.

With Matt O’Sullivan

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