Submarine stalks Ferry through Sydney Harbour

Call us paranoid but even with 20,000 petitioners calling for their retention, the Freshwater ferries still better watch their backs.

Manly resident Jenny Ingham spotted this submarine (one of ours, we presume) following a Freshwater class ferry in Sydney Harbour. It’s actually a couple of years old it turns out and the submarine might even be hitching a ride, but it gave us a laugh given the Freshwater ferries are considered “under threat” by many in the community since NSW Government announcements they will be scrapped.

The larger vessels, which travels from Manly to Circular Quay and back daily, are to be  replaced with smaller but more modernised catamaran style ferries called the Emerald class from this year.

Following community pressure, including from Manly MP James Griffin, Transport Minister Andrew Constance agreed to retain two of the ferries for weekend and public holiday use only.

• Second ferry retained: battle won or job half done?
• Protestors take a stand (and a sit) on Ferry cuts
• In gentle defence of the Manly Ferries
• Locals launch bid to save big ferries

Cr Bingham said it is only the second time an e-petition to parliament had reached 20,000 signatures.

“The committee has worked enormously hard, getting 20k signatures on a NSW parliamentary petition is no small task.  It looks like it will be debated on 25 March 2021, so in many ways the campaign is really only just getting started.”

Jenny Ingham, who took the video of the submarine stalking the ferry from another ferrying 2018, said she was delighted to hear the petition to save all four Freshwater class ferries would now be debated in Parliament as she loves taking her six grandchildren on the larger ferries where they sketch together.

“We have done it since one was three years old.. they are now ten and up and still love to do it,” she said.

To view the petition online visit the Save Manly Ferries landing page.

You can view the most recent NSW Government statement on the issue here.