Brisbane Ferries

This page deals with Brisbane ferry history, this covers non operational ferry services and private operational passenger and vehicular services such as Dutton Park Ferry, Moggill Vehicular Ferry and Bulimba Vehicular Ferry and pre translink council services.

History

Brisbane was opened up to free settlers in 1838, the biggest obstacle to its expansion at the time was the river. Early days saw settlers crossing the river in row boats. If they had a horse, it swam behind. 1842 was the year the first ferry the river and in 1844, a service started operating between Customs House and Kangaroo Point. By the 1860s, services operated from City to Kangaroo Point, Alice Street to Naval Stores and Charlotte Street to Russell Street. The early services were privately run and in 1860 Brisbane City Council created by-laws governing operation, and by 1893 had taken control of ferry services leasing them out to private operators. In 1883 the first steam ferry commenced operation between Charlotte St and Kangaroo Point. In 1925, with the merger of all the local Brisbane councils into the Brisbane City Council, all ferry services from the Moggill Ferry to the mouth of the river came under its control.

Bulimba Ferry

Samuel and Matthew Buckley began a row boat service in 1850. Later in 1864 John Watson commenced a vehicular ferry service with the steam paddleboat "Advance". The 1893 floods saw this transferred to the city with the loss of the Victoria Bridge, a winch and cable punt continued in its place. 1928 saw the steam ferry "Hetherington" enter service and it carried passengers and vehicles, between Bulimba and Teneriffe until its demise in 1952. [ [http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/heritage/index.cgi?place=602211&back=1 Bulimba Ferry Terminal] , Queensland government heritage website, 08 December, 2006 (accessed 18 December, 2006)]

Dutton Park Ferry

The Dutton Park Ferry was operational between the University of Queensland and Dutton Park. It connected local uni students to the southside, but was closed on the 17th of December, 2006 when the new Eleanor Schonell Bridge opened.

Indooroopilly Ferry

Travellers between Ipswich and Brisbane prior to the opening of the Indooroopilly rail bridge in 1876, would travel by train to Riverton as Sherwood was then known, catch the ferry across the river then finish their journey by coach. [ [http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00004995/01/4995.pdf West Brisbane History] , qut.edu.au 19 December 2006 (accessed 19 December, 2006)] On the 11 June 1891 the ferry service was interrupted as a result of floodwaters. [ [http://www.bom.gov.au/hydro/flood/qld/fld_history/floodsum_1890.shtml Queensland Flood Summary 1890-1899] , Bureau of Meteorology, 19 December 2006 (accessed 19 December,2006)] The ferry continued to operate until the opening of the Walter Taylor Bridge on 14 February 1936.

Moggill Ferry

Henry Stanley was rowing people across the river in 1873. He held the lease, which set the fees for the service from 1881-1884. In the 1940s the ferry was motorised under the joint control of the Brisbane and Ipswich City Councils, [ [http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/suburbs/moggill/history/ History of Moggill] , ourbrisbane .com, 22 December 2006 (accessed 22 December,2006)] that ferry which carried 4 cars at a time is now in the ferry reserve on the Moggill side of the river. Sometime in the 1970's a much larger vessel "Stradbroke Star" formerly servicing North Stradbroke Island, now plies the crossing.

Russell St Ferry

In 1842 John Williams [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020543b.htm John Williams Biography] ,Australian Dictionary of Biography, (accessed 20 December,2006)] an early Brisbane trader was awarded the contract at 45 pounds a year to operate the Russell St ferry which ran between South Brisbane and Queens wharf. It was locally known as the "Time Killer" due to its slowness. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/stories/s1588489.htm Local History - South Brisbane] ,www.abc.net.au, 10 March 2006 (accessed 20 December,2006)] After commencing operation it went in and out of service as successive Victoria Bridges were built and lost to the waters of the river. In the two references in this section different locations are given for the operation of John Williams' ferry service called the "Time Killer"

References

See also

* CityCat
* Cityferry
* List of Brisbane ferry wharves