SAVE THE MANLY FERRIES!
This State Parliament petition will be tabled in the House, where it matters, BUT ONLY IF we get 20,000 signatures.
Manly's world famous ferry fleet will be slashed
unless we take action NOW!
The NSW Govt says our classic ferries will be phased out starting early this year, to be replaced
with smaller 400-passenger commuter style ferries. Their plan is to keep
one, or at most two of the big ferries for holidays & weekends.
But that's not enough! We need all four big boats.
Large double-ended ferries have served Manly since the 1850s. They are a major
Sydney tourist attraction & the lifeblood of Manly.
unless we take action NOW!
The NSW Govt says our classic ferries will be phased out starting early this year, to be replaced
with smaller 400-passenger commuter style ferries. Their plan is to keep
one, or at most two of the big ferries for holidays & weekends.
But that's not enough! We need all four big boats.
Large double-ended ferries have served Manly since the 1850s. They are a major
Sydney tourist attraction & the lifeblood of Manly.
Our goal
- Cancel the decision to replace the classic Freshwater Ferries
- Proceed with the scheduled maintenance program for all four ferries
- Develop a Fleet Replacement Plan which includes double-ended vessels with a 1000+ passenger capacity on the Manly route
- Work with the Govt to develop a compromise plan, using both the quicker, smaller ferries and the classic Freshwater boats on he Manly run
We need your help
This official State Parliament petition can be tabled in Parliament, where it matters, BUT ONLY IF we reach 20,000 signatures.
2. READ the Facts box below. Plus there's more NEWS here.
3. WRITE AN EMAIL to these three MPs saying why we need all four big ferries to stay:
5. Make a small DONATION to help us fund our campaign
3. WRITE AN EMAIL to these three MPs saying why we need all four big ferries to stay:
- State Transport Minister, Andrew Constance - office@constance.minister.nsw.gov.au
- Member for Manly, James Griffin - manly@parliament.nsw.gov.au
- State Tourism Minister, Stuart Ayres - office@ayres.minister.nsw.gov.au
- Copy us at: SaveManlyFerry@gmail.com
5. Make a small DONATION to help us fund our campaign
Facts and background information
Heritage
Fast ferries for commuters. Slow ferries for visitors
Crossing the Heads
The Economy
The Replacement Fleet
- Large Ferries have been running from Circular Quay to Manly since the 1850s – it’s part of our heritage
- The Freshwater large ferries are a 30-minute harbour 'experience' not just a means of transport
- The slow ferry trip to Manly is ranked in the Top 10 Ferry Trips in the World
- The classic double-ended ocean-going ferries are unlike any other ferry on the harbour
Fast ferries for commuters. Slow ferries for visitors
- Manly is already serviced by Fast Ferries, and commuters love them
- It makes sense to use the new Emerald class boats in the am and pm peak
- It makes sense to use the big ferries when tourists want them – in the middle of the day on weekdays, and all day on weekends
- The large ferries take 1100 passengers, even so this is not enough during peak visitor times
- The 400-seat smaller ferries won't be able to handle the numbers on weekends, school holidays or during Summer
- In 2019 over 4 million people travelled to Manly by ferry. It's the busiest route in Sydney
- One million international tourists visited Manly by ferry in 2019
- 98% of visitors travelling to Manly by ferry, choose the classic slow ferry
- Fast ferries are for commuters. Slow ferries are for visitors, tourists and locals who love the trip
Crossing the Heads
- The large ferries are ocean-going boats. They were designed and built in Australia specifically for the Manly run
- The large ferries are fit for purpose and still have decades of service left in them
- We question whether the new ferries will be capable of handling big swells as they cross the Heads
The Economy
- The NSW Government has not provided any business case to back this decision
- Northern Beaches Council estimates the tourist economy is worth over $500M a year to Manly and the Northern Beaches
- The Council estimates that 12% of Northern Beaches local jobs are dependent on tourists
- Our tourist economy is at risk if the classic ferry goes
The Replacement Fleet
- The Emeralds have smaller engines that are higher revving
- That means they are likely to need more maintenance and be more prone to breakdown
- They vibrate, and they're tinny and noisy
- They were built in China
- Less emissions with the Emeralds? Not with the amount of fuel they will burn at high revs, and not if they if they have to do two and a half trips for every one by the Freshwater boats. And especially not if the Freshwaters are converted to run on green bio-fuels
Thank you for your support!
President, Good for Manly
