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Stockton ferry service
MV Shortland in September 2015
LocaleNewcastle, New South Wales
WaterwayHunter River
OwnerTransport for NSW
OperatorNewcastle Transport
System length600 metres
No. of vessels2
No. of terminals2
Websitewww.newcastletransport.info

The Stockton ferry service is a ferry service in Newcastle, New South Wales. Operated by Newcastle Transport under contract to Transport for NSW, it crosses the Hunter River from the Newcastle CBD at Queens Wharf to Stockton.

History

[edit]

Prior to the construction of various road projects connecting the outer western suburbs of Newcastle and crossing the Hunter River, including the Stockton Bridge, numerous ferry services, both privately run and publicly operated, shuttled across the Hunter River to link the locality of Stockton with the rest of Newcastle during the 19th and 20th centuries,[1] including a car ferry service from the former Market Street Wharf and Stockton.[2] This relatively vast network of wharves and services on the river included many wharves on the Newcastle foreshore, Bullock Island, the Stockton foreshore, and Port Waratah.[3]

The passenger ferry service that operated between Queens Wharf and Stockton, which runs in an area further downstream of the river from the bridge, is the only ferry service in Newcastle that still operates, surviving a wave of service decommissions prompted by the opening of the Stockton Bridge in 1971.[2] Having become unprofitable, it was discontinued in July 1982.[4] It was revived in February 1983 by the Government of New South Wales owned Newcastle Buses & Ferries.[5] Initially the Edith Walter and West Head, two ferries previously used by the former operator, were chartered to operate the service until two new vessels were delivered in 1986.[6][7]

In July 2017, it was included in the transfer of Newcastle Buses & Ferries' operations to Newcastle Transport.[8][9][10]

Services

[edit]
Standard icon used on timetables and maps

Ferries operate every 15 minutes during peak periods and every 20-30 minutes outside peak periods. No services operate during a period varying from 50 to 60 minutes at noon depending on the day of the week. The journey time between the two wharves is five minutes.[11]

Wharves

[edit]
Name Travel Time Waterway Serving Suburbs
Stockton Ferry
Queens Wharf dep. Hunter River Newcastle CBD
Stockton 5 minutes Stockton

Vessels

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MV Shortland at Queens Wharf in July 2013

The fleet comprises two 127 seat ferries built in 1986 at the Carrington Slipways, Tomago as single-deck versions of the First Fleet class built for the Urban Transit Authority for use on Sydney Harbour at the same time.[7] Both were refurbished in Port Macquarie in 2018.[12]

Name Registration MMSI Shipyard
no 		Completed Namesake
Shortland 24155 503006950 187 May 1986 John Shortland
Hunter 15194 503707100 188 June 1986 John Hunter

References

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  1. ^ Ray, Greg (26 October 2013). "MEGA GALLERY: Pictures of our past". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b Hunter Development Corporation staff. "History of Ferries in Newcastle" (PDF). Honeysuckle. Hunter Development Corporation (Government of New South Wales). p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  3. ^ EJE Heritage (November 2014). "Heritage and Conservation Register" (PDF). Port of Newcastle. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017. ...as well as stairs for the various ferry-steamers travelling to Stockton, Bullock Island, Waratah and Raymond Terrace.
  4. ^ Stockton Ferry Closes Electric Traction August 1982 page 122
  5. ^ Stockton Services resume Electric Traction March 1983 page 45
  6. ^ Newcastle Electric Traction August 1986 page 128
  7. ^ a b Andrews, Graeme (April 2008). "Crossing the Hunter". Afloat Magazine. Afloat Publications. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  8. ^ Australian Associated Press (30 June 2017). "Keolis Downer handed the keys to Newcastle buses and ferries". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  9. ^ Australian Associated Press (12 December 2016). "Downer JV wins $450m Newcastle contract". SBS World News. Special Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  10. ^ Australasian Bus and Coach staff (20 December 2016). "Newcastle Transport operator announced". Australasian Bus and Coach. Bauer Trader Media. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Stockton Ferry Services". Transport for NSW.
  12. ^ Hunter Ferry refurbishment taking place at Birdon Birdon 2 October 2018
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Media related to Ferries in Newcastle, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons

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