RiverCity Ferries

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RiverCity Ferries
IndustryPublic transport
PredecessorTransdev Brisbane Ferries
Founded4 November 2020 (2020-11-04)
Headquarters
Brisbane
,
Australia
Area served
Brisbane River
Products
  • CityCat
  • SpeedyCat
  • KittyCat
  • CityHopper
  • Cross River Ferries
ServicesPassenger ferry transport
ParentSeaLink Travel Group
Websiterivercityferries.com.au

RiverCity Ferries is a public transport company which commenced operating ferry services in Brisbane on 4 November 2020. It is a subsidiary of the SeaLink Travel Group.[1][2]

RiverCity Ferries operates 32 vessels serving 21 wharves on the Brisbane River under a ten-year contract (with an optional five-year extension) with the Brisbane City Council.[3][4] The company won the contract from the previous operator, Transdev Brisbane Ferries.[1]

Services[]

CityCat[]

CityCat services operate from University of Queensland to Northshore Hamilton calling at West End, Guyatt Park, Regatta, Milton, North Quay, South Bank, QUT Gardens Point, Riverside, Sydney Street, Mowbray Park, New Farm Park, Hawthorne, Bulimba, Teneriffe, Bretts Wharf and Apollo Road.[5] Not all CityCat services stop all stops, with some peak time express services operating.[6]

CityHopper[]

CityHopper is an inner city service between North Quay and Sydney Street, stopping at South Bank, Maritime Museum, Riverside and Holman Street.[7]

Cross River[]

Cross River consists of cross-river services at two locations.[8]

Changes from 15 November 2020[]

  • Some services which were suspended by Brisbane City Council on 20 July 2020, were either cancelled or reintroduced by RiverCity Ferries as follows:-
  • The Norman Park Cross River service was cancelled permanently.
  • Resumed services were:
    • The Kangaroo Point Cross River service no longer stops at Thornton Street and Eagle Street, and instead operates from Holman Street to Riverside wharf only.
    • Likewise the CityHopper service no longer stops at Dockside, Thornton Street and Eagle Street. Riverside Wharf can be used instead of Eagle Street.[9][10]
    • The resumed services use the leased KittyCat catamarans.

Fleet[]

When operations commenced in November 2020, RiverCity Ferries's fleet consisted of 23 CityCats, three CityHoppers (none in service), six CityFerries (only one in service) and five KittyCats.[11] All except the KittyCats are owned by Brisbane City Council. The KittyCats are leased from Captain Cook Cruises.

CityCat ferries[]

The CityCat vessels are catamarans, and named after the Aboriginal place names for various parts of the Brisbane River and adjacent areas (with the exception of the 19th CityCat, the Spirit of Brisbane, which honours the 2011 flood recovery volunteers[12]). All CityCats are operated by a crew of three - a master, a deck hand and a ticket seller.

First generation[]

First generation CityCats have a capacity of 149 passengers.[5] These are to be replaced by additional fourth generation vessels.[13]

Name MMSI Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Reference Wrap Theme Image
Kurilpa 503575300 11930QE Brisbane Ship Constructions November 1996 West End [14] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Kurilpa
Mirbarpa 503575600 11930QE Brisbane Ship Constructions November 1996 Indooroopilly [14] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Mirbarpa, nr North Quay, 2017 (01).jpg
Barrambin 503575500 12013QE Brisbane Ship Constructions November 1996 Breakfast Creek [14] Commemoration of 20 Years of CityCat services Barrambin (16-9-20).jpg
Tugulawa 503575400 12014QE Brisbane Ship Constructions November 1996 Bulimba [14] Brisbane Bandits baseball team Tugulawa (16-9-20).jpg
Mianjin (Vessel decommissioned) 503575800 12132QE Brisbane Ship Constructions December 1996 - January 2021 Gardens Point [14] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Mianjin (ship, 1996) CityCat ferry, Brisbane, March 2017.jpg
Binkinba 503575700 12133QE Brisbane Ship Constructions December 1996 New Farm [14] Brisbane Bullets basketball team Binkinba
Mooroolbin 503575900 20481QE Brisbane Ship Constructions October 1998 Hamilton Sandbank [14] Queensland Maroons State of Origin team Mooroolbin (16-9-20).jpg
Baneraba 503576100 20854QE Brisbane Ship Constructions December 1998 Toowong [14] Brisbane Global Rugby Tens tournament CityCat Baneraba, Brisbane.jpg

Second generation[]

Second generation CityCats have a capacity of 162 passengers.[5]

Name MMSI Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Reference Wrap Theme Image
Beenung-urrung 503576200 26483QE Norman R Wright & Sons August 2004 Highgate Hill [15] Brisbane Lions AFL team Beenung-urrung (16-9-20).jpg
Tunamun 503576300 26579QE Norman R Wright & Sons June 2005 Petrie Bight [16] Brisbane Roar Football Club (soccer) CityCat Tunamun.jpg
Meeandah 503576400 28744QE Norman R Wright & Sons February 2008 Meeandah [17] INAS Global Games 2019 Meeandah (16-9-20).jpg
Wilwinpa 503576500 28744QE Norman R Wright & Sons June 2008 Old Observatory[18] [19] Brisbane Heat Twenty20 cricket team CityCat Wilwinpa.jpg
Ya-wa-gara 503576600 27885QE Norman R Wright & Sons November 2008 Breakfast Creek [20] ATP Cup tennis tournament Ya-wa-gara (16-9-20).jpg
Mahreel 503576700 27885QE Norman R Wright & Sons April 2009 Spring Hill [21] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Mahreel (16-9-20).jpg

Third generation[]

Third generation CityCats have a capacity of 162 passengers.[5]

Name MMSI Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Reference Wrap Theme Image
Kuluwin 503576800 29438QE Norman R Wright & Sons February 2010 Wooloowin [22] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Kuluwin (16-9-20).jpg
Gootcha 503576900 29440QE Norman R Wright & Sons July 2010 Toowong [23] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Gootcha CityCat wrap (26946870335).jpg
Walan 503577100 29439QE Norman R Wright & Sons December 2010 Herston [4] Brisbane City Council's corporate colours of blue, yellow and white Anzac CityCat wrap (26341298144).jpg
Mudherri 503577200 29437QE Norman R Wright & Sons July 2011 Murarrie [24] Queensland Reds rugby union team Mudherri
Spirit of Brisbane 503586200 29436QE Norman R Wright & Sons October 2011 [25] Commemorates the city's recovery following the 2011 Brisbane floods. Spirit of Brisbane
Nar-dha 503017210 A3K0202 Norman R Wright & Sons November 2014 Nudgee [26] The 2014 G20 Brisbane summit G20 CityCat wrap (Cropped).jpg
Gilwunpa 503025670 32038QE Norman R Wright & Sons June 2015 Nundah [27] Queensland Firebirds CityCat Gilwunpa.jpg

Fourth generation[]

Seven fourth generation CityCats are being delivered from late 2019. They have a capacity of 170 passengers, including 20 on an open upper deck, plus more space for wheelchairs and bicycles than earlier generations. The vessels which each cost $3.7 million, are being constructed at Murarrie by Aus Ships Group.[28][29][30]

In December 2019, Brisbane City Council awarded Aus Ships Group a contract for an additional six fourth generation CityCats to replace the first generation vessels at a cost of $3.73 million each.[13]

Name MMSI Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Reference Wrap Theme Image
Yoogera 503092890 456106 Aus Ships October 2019 Mouth of Breakfast Creek [31][32] Yoogera (16-9-20).jpg
Neville Bonner 503102970 457882 Aus Ships August 2020 Neville Bonner [33][34] Neville Bonner (16-9-20).jpg
Mianjin II 503110450 458416 Aus Ships May 2021 Gardens Point [35] Mianjin II - CityCat 24.jpg
City Cat 25 Aus Ships Temporary yard name
City Cat 26 Aus Ships Temporary yard name
City Cat 27 Aus Ships Temporary yard name
City Cat 28 Aus Ships Temporary yard name

CityHopper ferries[]

CityHopper is the inner city ferry service. These are powered by 134 kW (180 hp) Scania engines, have a maximum speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and are operated by a crew of one. As of October 2020, these vessels were currently out of service due to alleged issues with major maintenance.[36]

Name Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Passengers Image
Mermaid 4372QEC Norman R Wright & Sons 1987 HMS Mermaid (1817), ship used by John Oxley who expored the Brisbane River in December 1823 78 CityHopper ship Mermaid, Brisbane, Queensland 01.jpg
Doomba 4902QE Norman Park Boat Builders 1989 SS Doomba 78 Doomba CityHopper in Brisbane.jpg
Otter 4908QE Norman R Wright & Sons 1989 HMQS Otter 78 CityHopper ferry Otter, Brisbane, March 2017, 02.jpg

CityFerry ferries[]

CityFerry covers shorter distance and cross-river services. These are powered by 86 kW (115 hp) Perkins engines, have a maximum speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and are operated by a crew of one.[5] All of these vessels are currently out of service due to alleged deterioration of their wooden hulls, except Kalparrin which has a steel hull.[36]

Name Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Passengers Image
Bulimba 959QE Norman R Wright & Sons 1984 Bulimba 47 Kookaburra Queen and CityFerry.jpg
Lucinda 1185QE Norman Park Boat Builders 1986 Lucinda 47 CityFerry at Eagle Street Pier July 2015.jpg
Koopa 1124QE Norman Park Boat Builders 1986 , the Bribie Island ferry from 1912 to 1963 47 CityFerry Koopa, Brisbane 2019, 01.jpg
Gayundah 1283QE Norman Park Boat Builders 1986 HMQS Gayundah 47
John Oxley 6950QE Norman R Wright & Sons 1990 John Oxley 47
Kalparrin 9570QE Queensland Port Services 1993 An Aboriginal word meaning "to help carry a load"[37] 47
KittyKat 'Victoria' (September 2021)

KittyCats[]

Five 12 m (39 ft) catamarans, nicknamed KittyCats, are being leased from RiverCity Ferries sister company Captain Cook Cruises in Sydney from November 2020 to operate the suspended CityHopper and cross river services while monohulled ferries are overhauled. The first, MV Cockle Bay, arrived in Brisbane in September 2020,[38] to fill in for suspended cross-river ferries awaiting repairs. They have a capacity of 60 passengers (36 seated, 24 standing) and are operated by a crew of one. They are powered by 2 x 184 kW (247 hp) Cummins QSB engines with an economical normal service speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) and a maximum speed of 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph).

Residents have expressed concerns with the noise of the new vessels, since they came into service. In May 2021, Council ordered SeaLink to fit mufflers to the vessels to reduce noise concerns.

Name MMSI Call sign Builder Launched Namesake Image
Cockle Bay 503047610 Richardson Devine Marine 2017 Cockle Bay
Blackwattle Bay 503047620 Richardson Devine Marine 2017 Blackwattle Bay
White Bay 503076850 455645 Harwood Marine 2018 White Bay
Pyrmont Bay 503076860 455653 Harwood Marine 2018 Pyrmont Bay
Albert (#455645) 2020 AU-Q-Brisbane-KittyKat-Albert-2021.jpg
Eleanor (#452393) 44544QE 2020 AU-Q-Brisbane-KittyKat-Eleanor-2021.jpg
Melany (#455653) 2020 AU-Q-Brisbane-KittyKat-Melany-2021.jpg
Victoria (#454604) 2020 AU-Q-Brisbane-KittyKat-Victoria-2021.jpg
Taylor (#444165) 2020 AU-Q-Brisbane-KittyKat-Taylor-2021.jpg

Network[]

The wharves are given in geographical order, heading upstream along the Brisbane River.

Wharf Stopping pattern
SE = SpeedyCat Express (weekday peak)
CC = CityCat
CH = CityHopper
CF = CityFerry (cross river) 		Connections
SE CC CH CF CF
Northshore Hamilton ● ● Bus transport
Apollo Road ● ● Bus transport
Bretts Wharf ● Bus transport
Bulimba ● ● Bus transport
Teneriffe ● ● ● Bus transport Blue CityGlider
Hawthorne ● Bus transport
New Farm Park ●
Mowbray Park ●
Sydney Street ● ●
Holman Street ● ●
Riverside ● ● ● ●
Maritime Museum ●
South Bank 3 ●
QUT Gardens Point ●
South Bank 1 & 2 ●
North Quay ● ● ●
Milton ● Bus transport
Regatta ● Bus transport
Guyatt Park ●
West End ● Bus transport Blue CityGlider
University of Queensland ● ● Bus transport UQ Lakes busway station

References[]

  1. ^ SeaLink secures Brisbane CityCat contract Business News Australia 29 June 2020
  2. ^ CityCat, SpeedyCat and ferry services Brisbane City Council
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Ferry operators to keep their jobs in new council contract Brisbane Times 29 June 2020
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "River City Ferries". River City Ferries. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  5. ^ "CityCat timetable" (PDF). TransLink. 15 November 2020.
  6. ^ "CityHopper timetable" (PDF). TransLink. 15 November 2020. pp. 1–2.
  7. ^ "Bulimba-Teneriffe cross river timetable" (PDF). TransLink. 15 November 2020. pp. 3–6.
  8. ^ New timetable for CityHopper and Cross River services TransLink 26 October 2020
  9. ^ Stone, Lucy (23 October 2020). "Council scuttles two Brisbane River ferry services permanently". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  10. ^ Fast Facts Archived 27 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Transdev Brisbane Ferries
  11. ^ "New CityCat honours Brisbane's flood heroes". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b "Council cuts CityCat ties with 100-year-old Brisbane boat supplier". Brisbane Times. 5 December 2019.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Brisbane CityCats Archived 26 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine BSC Marine
  14. ^ Griffith, Chris (2 August 2004). "Supercat's launch barely raises a ripple". The Courier-Mail. p. 4. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  15. ^ Kennedy, Julian (22 June 2005). "Ferry fever catching". Brisbane City News (1 ed.). p. 12. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Brisbane CityCats". Norman R. Wrights & Sons. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  17. ^ Petrie, Constance Campbell; Petrie, Tom, 1831-1910 (1980). Tom Petrie's reminiscences of early Queensland (PDF). Currey O'Neil. p. 316. ISBN 978-0-85550-278-2.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Robinson, Georgina (23 June 2008). "New CityCat bolsters fleet". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  19. ^ Waters, Georgia (13 November 2008). "Lucky 13 as Rice launches newest CityCat". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  20. ^ Moore, Tony (21 April 2009). "CityCats to get military-style cameras". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  21. ^ Moore, Tony (18 February 2010). "CityCats go express". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  22. ^ Moore, Tony (2 July 2010). "New CityCat a floating canvas". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  23. ^ Calligeros, Marissa (25 July 2011). "CityCat terminal to plumb new depths". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  24. ^ Moore, Tony (4 October 2011). "New CityCat honours Brisbane's flood heroes". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  25. ^ Kim Stephens (4 November 2014). "CityCat No. 20 a floating tribute to leaders' summit". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  26. ^ Queensland Firebird colours cover Brisbane CityCat ferry to mark 10 straight wins Archived 14 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine 612 ABC Brisbane 3 June 2015
  27. ^ "CityCat 22". Brisbane City Council.
  28. ^ "Multimillion-dollar double-decker CityCat to be built". Brisbane Times. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Cat's out of the bag: First look inside Brisbane's double-decker CityCat". Brisbane Times. 20 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Brisbane's first double-decker CityCat hits the water". Brisbane Times. 22 October 2019.
  31. ^ "27m Passenger Catamaran - CityCat 22 "Yoogerah"". Aus Ships Group. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Neville Bonner's legacy to travel the Brisbane River". Brisbane Times. 25 August 2020.
  33. ^ "27m Passenger Catamaran - CityCat 23 "Neville Bonner"". Aus Ships Group. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  34. ^ "27m Passenger Catamaran - CityCat 24 "Mianjin II"". Aus Ships Group. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b Council scuttles two Brisbane River ferry services permanently Brisbane Times 23 October 2020
  36. ^ Gardan, Stephanie; Pemberton, Alexander Gordon; Graham, Verna E (1 January 1972). Kalparrin : a voluntary agency looks to itself. University of Queensland Press. p. 127. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  37. ^ "'KittyCats'".
Retrieved from ""