Parramatta River ferry services
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| Parramatta River | |
| |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Mode | Ferry route |
| Area | Canada Bay, Hunters Hill, Parramatta, Ryde, Strathfield, Sydney |
| Owner | Sydney Ferries |
| Design | |
| Wharves | 15 |
| Operations | |
| Operator(s) | Sydney Ferries |
| Fleet | RiverCat |
| Public transport | | |
Parramatta River ferry services connect suburbs along the Parramatta River in Sydney with Circular Quay by commuter ferry. The services are provided by Sydney Ferries Corporation, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The route is coloured yellow on the current Sydney Ferries network map. Vessels in the RiverCat class generally service these routes, with HarbourCats and SuperCats occasionally serving the route, less often on services to Parramatta.
Contents
Wharves
Circular Quay
Circular Quay is a major Sydney transport hub, with a large ferry, rail and bus interchange. The Cahill Expressway is a prominent feature of the quay, running from the east, over the elevated railway station to join the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the west. Sydney Cove was the site of the initial landing of the First Fleet in Port Jackson. Circular Quay was originally mainly used for shipping and slowly developed into a transport, leisure and recreational centre.
Sydney Ferries services use wharves 2, 3, 4 and 5 at Circular Quay. Each wharf has ticket vending machines and ticket barriers, and is wheelchair-accessible.
Darling Harbour (King Street)
This wharf serves Darling Harbour from King Street Wharf 3. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
Drummoyne
This wharf serves the suburb of Drummoyne, New South Wales and is located on Wolseley Street. The wharf is not wheelchair-accessible.
Huntleys Point
This wharf serves the suburb of Gladesville, New South Wales and is located on Huntleys Point Road. The wharf is not wheelchair-accessible.
Chiswick
This wharf serves the suburb of Chiswick, New South Wales and is located on Bortfield Drive. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
- Chiswick Ferry Wharf 2.JPG
Chiswick Ferry Wharf
Abbotsford
This wharf serves the suburb of Abbotsford, New South Wales and is located on Great North Road. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
Bayview Park
This wharf is located on Burwood Road. The wharf is not wheelchair-accessible and is only serviced by citybound services in the AM and reverse in the PM.
Cabarita
Cabarita ferry wharf serves the suburb of Cabarita, New South Wales and is located on Cabarita Point. The wharf is not wheelchair-accessible.
Kissing Point
This wharf is located in Kissing Point Park. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
Meadowbank
Meadowbank ferry wharf was the westernmost point in the Sydney ferry network until 1992. This wharf serves the suburb of Meadowbank, New South Wales and is located on Bowden Street. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
- Meadowbank wharf.JPG
Meadowbank wharf and Ryde Bridge
Sydney Olympic Park
This wharf serves Sydney Olympic Park and is located on Bennelong Road. The wharf has a single jetty used for docking of RiverCat ferries. The wharf was built in 1998 for the purpose of serving passengers for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and served the RiverCat service which brought the Olympic Torch to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony. It now serves residents of Homebush Bay. A few services a day terminate at this wharf. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
- OlympicParkWharf2.JPG
Sydney Olympic Park, waiting area and parking loop
- SydneyOlympicPark2.JPG
Sydney Olympic Park, view from Meadowbank
Rydalmere
Rydalmere ferry wharf opened in 1992, this wharf serves the suburb of Rydalmere, New South Wales and is located on John Street. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
Parramatta
Parramatta ferry wharf opened in 1992, this wharf serves the suburb of Parramatta, New South Wales and is located on Charles Street. The wharf is wheelchair-accessible.
History
Although Parramatta wharf served ferries in the early part of the 20th Century, for a long time until the late 1990s Meadowbank wharf was the terminus of all Parramatta River ferries. Silt in the river and sludge from factory and industrial waste upstream, and the previous design of ferries meant that the deep hulled vessels were unable to go further upstream than the Meadowbank bridge. However, from dredging work and the introduction of catamaran ferries, RiverCat ferries now proceed to Rydalmere and Parramatta.
At one time, the NSW Government was keen to make extensive use of ferry transport to Homebush Bay for the 2000 Summer Olympics, staged nearby. The Sydney Olympic Park wharf was built and used, although Olympic spectators were largely encouraged to use buses and trains.
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