Sydney: Manley Ferry

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Sydney the commercial capital of Australia has several modes of commutation for its residents. Out of all the commutation modes, the most exciting mode is the Manly ferry services which connect the suburb of Manly to the Circular Quay.

The ferry services are managed and operated by Sydney Ferries Corporation which is owned by the government of New South Wales. All the ferry route which comes under Manly is marked in light blue color on the ferry route map.

On 31 December 2008, the Sydney Ferries JetCat was discontinued and was replaced with Manly Fast ferries which is owned and managed by private entities. However the contract with Manly Fast ferries ended in the year 2010 and was not renewed. The route is now managed by another private entities.

As of now the Manly ferries comprises of four fleets which are known as Freshwater, Queenscliff, Narrabeen and Collaroy. All the vessels used in the services are built at the state dockyards in Carrington Slipways and Newcastle in Tomago.

The Manly ferries are around 70 meters in length and 12.5 meters wide. Manly ferries can travel at a speed of around 16 knots and have the capacity to carry more than thousand passengers. Most of the vessels are powered by two turbo charged Daihatsu diesel engines and have hand controllable pitch propellers.

The hull and the lower cabin of the vessel are made out of welded steel whereas the upper cabin and wheelhouses are made out of high quality aluminum. The newly inducted Collaroy vessel is equipped with much more facilities than its counter parts. Besides the regular features, Collaroy is fitted with more powerful and latest stabilizers in additional to extra catering facilities which was much needed for ocean cruising.

At the Circular Quay, tourists can catch the ferry services from wharf number 2, 3, and five. Apart from ticket counters, the ferry authorities have installed several ticket vending machines through which passengers can purchase their ferry tickets.

The Manly ferries are one of the most economical ways to explore the Sydney Harbour. The tickets of the ferry ride costs around $10 and are extremely comfortable. These ferries are also quite popular among the tourists as they are able to witness the beautiful harbour and enjoy a pleasant ferry ride at the same time. Besides the Sydney harbour, tourists can also see other Sydney attractions like the Opera House, Fort Denison and many others.

Tourists can also purchase tea, coffee, snacks, sandwiches and plenty of other things. All the food items available on board are completely safe and are prepared keeping in mind all the hygienic factors.

The ferry services operate on all the seven days and takes about thirty minutes to reach from one destination to another. The fast ferry services also operate during the peak hours and usually take half the time as compared to normal vessels.

Besides taking a ride on the ferry, tourists have plenty of other things to do. Sydney is a fascinating place and has an electrifying environment. Sydney residents are fun going broad minded people and prefer to live their life in every moment. It is because of this attitude the city has plenty of places for the tourists to hang out to. High quality pubs, bars and discothèques are full of life and a place definitely worth visiting.

Sydney is a large metropolitan and it is therefore very important that tourists should try to chart out a proper tour in order to cover maximum Sydney Landmarks without wasting time. Getting accommodation in Sydney is also not that difficult as tourists can book them online.

Tourists can also a take a tour from a reputed company which would not only cover the city icons but would also take them to the beautiful countryside locations.

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