Parramatta ferry wharf, Sydney

Parramatta Ferry Wharf is the commuter wharf serving the city of Parramatta in Sydney Australia. It serves the Parramatta route, which operates express between the next wharf downstream, Rydalmere and Circular Quay. It is the furthest point of travel for all Sydney Ferries routes from Circular Quay, being next to the weir at Parramatta which would prevent travel further upstream.

History

There has been a wharf at Parramatta since shortly after the settlement at Parramatta was established. The wharf is located next to the Queens' Wharf Reserve and the Gasworks Bridge, which was close to the site of the first official landing place at Parramatta, when Governor Phillip and a small number of marines arrived in 1788 to establish a second settlement in Parramatta. The first steam ferry to operate between Sydney and Parramatta was named "Surprise", it beginning service on 2 June, 1831"The Parramatta Wharf Tramway" Matthews, H.H. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, December, 1958 pp181-199] . The original wharf was built by convicts from gum tree logs, and reconstructed in sandstone in 1835. Overseas sailing ships and paddle steamers would come up the river with their goods and their passengers from Sydney. [Parramatta City Council, [http://www.visitsydney.org/parramatta/pdfs/ParraHH2004.pdf "Explore Parramatta:Harris Park Heritage Walk"] , [Accessed 22 December 2006] .]

From October, 1884, a steam tramway connected the wharf at Redbank, near where Duck River meets Parramatta River, with the town, extending along George Street to Park Gates. The closed on 31 March, 1943. The trams conveyed both passengers and goods, serving a number of industries from sidings off the main line.

After a brief hiatus from service in the upper river, due to silting and pollution in the river, ferry services returned to Parramatta in 1993, with two new wharves at Rydalmere and Parramatta reopened. [Steel, Reg, "A ferry to Parramatta : return of the Parramatta ferries". State Transit Authority: Sydney, 1993.]

Jetties/service

Services to Parramatta are not as frequent as those in the inner harbour, however, the wharf generally receives one service per hour. Services generally run back to Circular Quay until the late afternoon or early evening.

Wharf 1
*Parramatta Ferry - express services to Circular Quay.

Bus services

The wharf has no adjoining interchange, but a stop exists nearby in Charles St, which is served by route 717 to Blacktown railway station. The wharf is only a short walk from Parramatta Station, where passengers may transfer to trains on the Western line colour>Blue Mountains Line, Western line colour>Western Line and Cumberland line colour>Cumberland Line

Neighbouring wharves

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ee also

* Parramatta River ferry services, Sydney

References