Home / Business and Economy / Iconic Manly Ferry Axed for $3.3M Scrap
Iconic Manly Ferry Axed for $3.3M Scrap
22 Jul
Summary
- The Collaroy ferry, a beloved Sydney icon, will be dismantled.
- Repairing the Collaroy would have cost over $17 million.
- The Freshwater ferry is undergoing $71 million refurbishment.
The beloved Sydney ferry, Collaroy, will be dismantled by the end of this year at a cost of $3.3 million. The vessel, which served Sydney Harbour for nearly four decades, was retired from service in September 2023. Transport for NSW stated that renewal and survey requirements would have cost in excess of $17 million, making it "prohibitively expensive" to keep the ferry operational.
Scuttling the Collaroy as a dive wreck was considered but rejected due to environmental, technical, and cost risks. In contrast, another of the remaining large Manly ferries, the Freshwater, is scheduled for towing to Yamba next month for dry-docking maintenance. This refurbishment is part of a broader $71 million budget for the large Manly ferries, with towing alone estimated at nearly $200,000.
The Collaroy was the youngest of the four Freshwater-class ferries, known for their robustness and capacity of about 1000 passengers. Its demolition signifies a significant loss for Sydney, especially after the recent retirement of seven RiverCat ferries, which will also be scrapped.
