Sydney Harbour ferry services date back to the first years of Sydney's European settlement. Slow and sporadic boats ran along the Parramatta River from Sydney to Parramatta and served the agricultural settlements in between. By the mid-1830s, speculative ventures established regular services. From the late-nineteenth century the North Shore developed rapidly. A rail connection to Milsons Point took alighting ferry passengers up the North Shore line to Hornsby, New South Wales via North Sydney. Without a bridge connection, increasingly large fleets of steamers serviced the cross harbour routes and in the early twentieth century, Sydney Ferries Limited was the largest ferry operator in the world.
Top to bottom and left to right, Kuramia (1914-1934), PS Brighton (1883-1916), Herald (1855-1884), K-class ferries in Sydney Cove, hydrofoil Curl Curl (1973-1992), South Steyne (1938-1974), Collaroy (1988-)
Ocean-going steamer, Sophia Jane, was used sporadically on the Parramatta River.
Paddle steamer, Emu
Herald was used on a fledgling service to the North Shore
Freshwater-class ferry
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The Freshwater class is a class of ferry operating the Manly ferry service between Circular Quay and Manly on Sydney Harbour. The ferries are owned by the Government of New South Wales and operated by the franchisee Transdev Sydney Ferries under the government's Sydney Ferries brand.
Collaroy in 2008
First Fleet-class ferry "Alexander" passes Freshwater-class ferry "Narrabeen". The Freshwater class are the largest ferries in the Sydney Ferries fleet.
Freshwater being launched in 1982
Queenscliff's final trip to Manly before its previously planned retirement. However the ship has since been given a major overhaul and returned to service.