The Mortlake Ferry

ÒNurungiÓRemembered OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE CONCORD HERITAGE SOCIETY email: [email protected] www.concordheritage.asn.au

EDITOR No.110 May 2005 LOIS MICHEL 9744-8528 The Mortlake Ferry - Historical Notes PRESIDENT Happy 77th Birthday - 16th May TRISH HARRINGTON 9764-3296 The Mortlake Ferry is a vehicular cable ferry Putney ferry service on 16 May 1928. Ball PUBLIC RELATIONS that plies the Parramatta River at a cross- was the Secretary for Public Works in TRISH SKEHAN ing between Hilly Street in Mortlake and George Fuller’s coalition government 9743-4172 Pellisier Road in Putney. It is the last remain- (1922-25), and was also a minister in the ing vehicular ferry (or punt) operating on the Bavin Government at the time the ferry SECRETARY/TREASURER Parramatta River, and in Sydney more gen- service was instituted by the Department LOIS MICHEL erally. Other existing vehicular ferry services of Main Roads (DMR). 3 Flavelle Street close to the Sydney region include five on The ferry service was commenced to en- (P.O. Box 152) the Hawkesbury River at Wisemans Ferry, Concord 2137 able employees at the nearby Australian Sackville, Lower Portland, Webbs Creek and Gas Light Company (AGL) who lived in Phone: 9744-8528 Berowra Waters. Fax: 9744-7591 suburbs on the northern side of the river Ferries, both passenger and vehicular, were to reach their workplace. Pressure came * an essential link in the transport infrastruc- from the ‘Putney side’ for the institution of MEETINGS ture of Sydney throughout the nineteenth the service, and was primarily led by the and early twentieth centuries, as the city is Putney Progress Association. Otherwise, General Meetings built around the harbour and the network of gasworks employees on the northern 2nd Wednesday of month river systems that flow into it. Vehicular fer- banks of the Parramatta River ‘...were at 7:30 pm in the ries were particularly vital at tidal crossings, confronted by a round trip via the Concord Citizens’ Centre such as the point between Mortlake and 9 Wellbank Street, Concord Meadowbank-Rhodes punt or rowing them Putney, where the cost of the construction Phone: 8765-9155 selves across or again using the passen- of a bridge of sufficient design merit to make ger ferry but this would not always have Executive Meetings the crossing was prohibitive, in terms of fi- been at convenient times for the worker.’ 4th Wednesday of month nance and the availability of materials and (Information supplied by Concord Heritage Society Inc, at 7:45 pm in the manpower to build it. letter from G M Cashman to D Brown, Town Clerk, Concord Citizens’ Centre Concord Council, 24 February 1982). This ferry A number of vehicular ferries operated on would also have been a benefit for resi- Walker Estates Committee Sydney Harbour, the Georges River to the dents on the southern side of the river to 1st Wednesday of month south and Parramatta River to the west in access Ryde and other suburbs to the Concord Citizens’ Centre the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. north, and as such would have been a sup- Graham Packett, 9743-3007 Vehicular ferries were particularly important for linking North Sydney and the south side Other Committees of the harbour in this time. In c1842 the As arranged Sydney Ferry Company began the first ve- Watch the newsletter hicular ferry between these two points, which operated until 1932 at which time the 8th June: Jane Bennett, Painter of Museum Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened to traf- Architecture in Sydney Fred Stansfield, 9743-1866 fic. On the Parramatta River, a vehicular 13th July: Graeme Payne - Lane ferry service was first established in c1832 Cove Historical Society - “Austral- Archives/Local History between Bedlam and Abbotsford Points, Kate Skillman, 9706-7479 ian Commercial Plane Crashes” which was replaced by the first Gladesville 10th August: Annual General Meet- Bridge in 1881. In most instances, bridges Heritage ing and Election of Officers. Bob Jones, 8765-9347 have since replaced earlier vehicular ferries operating on Sydney Harbour, and the Par- 14th September: Andrew ramatta and Georges Rivers (OHM Consultants, Monoghan, The Costume House, Oral/Family History Gladesville - “Early Australian Lola Sharp, 8753-0659 1998, pp 8-11). The Mortlake Ferry is a highly significant remnant of this early and preva- Fashions in Museum Collections” * lent form of transport as it is the only remain- 12th October: Pam Liell, speaking CONCORD ing vehicular ferry in use on Sydney Harbour on her recently released book, HERITAGE MUSEUM and its tributaries. “Dressed in their Best: 100 Years 5 Wellbank Street The Mortlake Ferry, also known as the of Family Photos” Putney Punt, began operations in 1928 (OHM Open 2:00 - 4:00 pm 9th November: John Walmeant - Consultants, 1998, p 11). The Hon Robert Tho- on 1st and 3rd African Safari Photographs mas Ball officially opened the Mortlake Wednesdays & Saturdays plement to the nearby Ryde Bridge. (DMR), and latterly the RTA (since approach ramp to alight the ferry. Both Mortlake and Putney were 1989) operated Mortlake Ferry from The waiting room has containers named for towns on the Thames 1928 to 1992. Although the RTA contin- with life vests; River in England. The AGL estab- ues to maintain and repair the ferry, it * Davit supported dinghy; lished gasworks at Mortlake in has contracted out the ferry operations to a private operator since 1992. The * Anchors for emergency deploy- 1883 (moving form Darling Har- ment. bour). The suburb was subdivided ferry cables are replaced every 12-15 for sale the following year, and months, and the ferry is slipped every In operation the ferrymaster uses the would have provided housing for three years at the Mortlake Slipways. engine and brake to align the ferry as workers employed at the gasworks. The slipway is located to the south of the it approaches the ramp, and adjust Evidently a ferry service of some Mortlake approach ramp and is used for the ramps to suit the traffic load be- description was servicing the sub- the maintenance of RTA-owned ferries ing carried. On grounding, the flaps urb during in the 1880s (and pos- operating in the Sydney region (includ- slide up the ramp till the inertia of the sibly earlier), as a subdivision plan ing the Mortlake Ferry and the five ve- ferry is lost. The deckhand hooks a for Mortlake prepared in 1884 hicular ferries servicing the Hawkesbury chain from the ferry to a safety chain shows a ‘steamer wharf at the end River). on the ramp, opens the swing gates of Tennyson Road (then named The contract to operate the ferry is ten- and uses a remote control to raise a Burwood Road), a little to the south dered and awarded every three years. boom on the ferry approaches. Vehi- of the present ferry wharf (Pollen, Shad Wall held the contract from 1992 cles then exit the ferry to be replaced 1996, pp 179-180). until at least 1998. The current contrac- by vehicles travelling in the opposite tor is Maccas Ferries, who have had the direction. The docking procedure is Construction began on a bridge reversed for departure, and the between Ryde and Rhodes/Con- contract for seven years. In 1998, it was reported that the staff required for oper- ferrymaster sends a warning by radio cord in 1933, which was officially of intention to move, thus warning opened in 1935. However, workers ating the Mortlake Ferry included a ferry driver, a gatekeeper and a deckhand craft such as the Rivercats, which ply at AGL continued to use the this waterway. Mortlake Putney ferry service. The (OHM Consultants, 1998, pp 11-12). Mortlake Ferry service is still in op- At the time of inspection in August 2004, The operation of the ferry is under- eration, although the new bridge the ferry was crewed by two staff taken on contract to the RTA by threatened the viability of the serv- (ferrymaster and deckhand). Macca Ferries Pty Ltd. On the day of inspection, the two personnel on ice, and despite intermittent at- The suburbs of Mortlake and Putney are tempts by the DMR (and later the board reported experience on most of now largely populated by white-collar the RTA’s ferries in NSW. RTA) to remove it. That the service workers. As such, the ferry has become remains is a testament to the a commuter service for local residents The ferry approaches form an essen- strength of the local community, working in the city, as noted on a site tial part of the ferry infrastructure. On who have campaigned to keep it inspection in August 2004. This chang- the south side of Parramatta River the operational since this time (OHM Con- ing demographic is reflected by the re- road approach is in concrete of con- sultants, 1998, pp 11-12). stricted operating times for the ferry, siderable age. Likewise the ramp is By 1948, the Mortlake Ferry ac- which is in service Mondays to Fridays concreted, with insert steel rails. Be- commodated an average of 811 6.20am-9.25am and 2.20pm-5.25pm. tween the ramp and concrete road cars each day. More recently the The large apartment construction pro- there is a bitumen section of recent numbers of cars travelling on the gram under way was cause for optimism reconstruction. Facilities on the shore ferry dropped to an average of 310 that patronage would increase. include a waiting room, a staff shed, vehicles per day in 1986 and 250 modem boom gate and old Description: per day in 1990 (OHM Consultants handraised half gates, which are no 1998, p 12). The ferry currently plying The ferry is a welded steel hull ferry longer in use. There are also a pair of between Mortlake and Putney rated for 15-car capacity. It is a rope - chain wire gates which are closed (Ferry No 28) was built in 1960 and cable - guided ferry having a steel guide during ferry outages, which occur is ‘a welded steel hull vessel with a rope on the eastern side and drive rope daily between 9.30 and 2.20, and at 15 car capacity; this ferry has been on the west. Propulsion along the rope night from 5.25 pm to 6.20 am. The operating on this run since at least is by a 4 cylinder Perkins diesel driving ferry cables are fixed to terminal 1976 (OHM Consultants, 1998, p 11; RTA a drive wheel system. The ferry has posts, one of which is a timber pile File 35P.755 Part 5 Ferry Vessel DMR No 5. ramps at each end consisting of a pri- and the other a steel pile. The boom 1971-1987). The ferry was originally mary ramp surfaced in steel grating, and gates and wheels and posts are ‘origi- intended to carry 12 vehicles but a secondary flap, which has steel nal’. was widened with wing decks on checker plate. The level and angle of the (Sue Rosen & Associates, Heritage Assess- either side to make the main deck ramps are hydraulically controllable from ment And History, Epping. Reprinted with per- wider (so that it now carries 15 ve- the control cabin. mission.) hicles). Deck facilities include the following: Similarly to most vehicular ferries * Control cabin with engine and ramp Group Visits to Yaralla currently operating in NSW, the controls, safety equipment etc.; Mortlake Ferry powered by a diesel These are becoming more popu- engine and is guided by two sets of * Road deck marked for three lanes of lar and we desperately need vol- cables lying on the bottom of the traffic. There are hand operated swing river. One of these cables pulls the gates at each end of the deck; unteers to help with the ferry, while the other cable guides * Pedestrian passenger waiting room Devonshire Teas. If you can the ferry across the river (OHM Con- opposite the control cabin. Routes on spare a couple of hours, now and sultants, 1998, p 7). and off the ferry for pedestrians are The Department of Main Roads marked on the deck. Pedestrians on then, on week days we’d love to Mortlake side use right hand side of hear from you. A former resident of Concord West, Heritage on the Parramatta We have quite a who joined our last Yaralla tour few events com- thought we might enjoy this newspa- River, Concord ing up in the next per article about one of her younger Stone retaining walls, Hen & Chicken few months and brothers . . . Bay volunteers are needed. If you Former swimming baths at Hen & can help please Hospital patient runs Chicken Bay, Bayview Park phone the secre- into sea, saved by Former Cabarita Wharf, Cabarita tary as soon as Park possible so that we can plan. youth. Sanders Marina, Cabarita Park Mon. 11th July - Group to Museum, 10:00 am - 2 volunteers A 16-year-old youth yesterday after- Federation House boatshed (only), 87 noon swam naked to the rescue of a Llewellyn Street, Rhodes Wed. 20th July - Group to Museum, patient of the Repatriation General Stone Wharf, 91 Llewellyn Street, 11:30 am - 2 volunteers Hospital, Concord, who tried to swim Uhrs Point, Rhodes Wed. 20th July - Group to Yaralla, across a shark-infested bay in his Ryde Bridge, Church Street Ryde to 9:30 am - 1 or 2 guides, ? Devon- pyjamas. Concord Road, Rhodes shire Teas The patient had run from a Yaralla Ryde Railway Bridge, Northern Rail- Wed. 3rd August - Group to Yaralla, ward with his dressing gown over his way Line, bridge between Rhodes 9:30 am - 1 or 2 guides, ? Devon- pyjamas. He was also wearing and Meadowbank shire Teas shoes. Log Ponds and Wharves to timber Tuesday, 9th August - Group to Yar- He half ran, half stumbled into the yards, Bennelong Point, alla, 2:50 pm - 2 or 3 guides - Dev- sea, then began floundering his way Homebush Bay. onshire Teas across to the other side of Yaralla Bay. Sunday, 21st August - Our own His dressing gown and shoes pulled OPEN DAY AT RIVENDELL - ALL him down and he was soon in serious HANDS ON DECK difficulties. Rookwood Necropolis Sunday, 18th September - Friends The youth who rescued him - Trevor of Rookwood have asked for as- Collins, apprentice carpenter of - Open Day 2005 sistance with their open day - can Currawang Street, Concord West, you spare half a day? This will be on Sunday, 18th Septem- was on the opposite side of Yaralla Wednesday, 12th October - Group ber, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Bay to the hospital, leading a troop of to Yaralla, 10:30 am - 2 or 3 guides Sea Scouts. We have advised The Friends of needed, ? Devonshire Teas. Rookwood that we will be able to sup- He said last night: Sunday, 23rd October - our OPEN ply some volunteers to assist on this DAY AT YARALLA - ALL HANDS “We saw something splashing about occasion for a half day, leaving time ON DECK. in the middle of the bay. for the volunteers to take part in the “I ripped off my clothes and swam out other activities. Please put these dates in your diary NOW and if you know you will be free and able about 75 yards to the man. The theme for the year is “150th An- to assist please call the secretary as soon “He was about 25 or 30, and was niversary of the Official Opening of as possible. These days take some organis- NSW Railways”. wearing pyjamas, dressing gown and ing and it is nice to know in advance what shoes and socks. This year there will be wonderful sur- help will be available. prises for the visitors, including a “He was exhausted, so I turned him steam train which will be running from over on his back and took him in. the Mortuary Station at Redfern and Annual General “I wasn’t thinking about sharks in the will be arriving at Lidcombe Station, bay - I was thinking about getting for display. Vintage buses will trans- Meeting - 10/8/05 back”, he said. port visitors to the cemetery. This is the time to elect your officers and “When I got the chap ashore, he They will have a 19th Century funeral committee members for the ensuing year. bus carriage on display and also the wanted to know how to get to North All positions will be declared vacant and NSW Railway Band will be entertain- Sydney. He said he wanted to go will be up for nominations. Let’s make it ing. home because the hospital wasn’t a proper election with lots of names be- treating him right. At 11:00 am there will be the street ing put forward. parade, with many hearses including “The scoutmaster, Reg Tidball, rang There will be several vacancies and we a horse drawn hearse and people in the hospital and they sent an army urge you to consider putting your name costumes. ambulance waggon round with three forward for any of the positions. New attendants to pick up the man.” There will be white elephant stalls, blood is always welcome as you bring Collins has held a Royal Life Saving plant stalls, craft stalls and the usual fresh thoughts and ideas. BBQ lunch and delicious Devonshire bronze medallion for life saving for two If you feel you would like to be a part of teas and other events taking place years. the planning process please don’t hesitate throughout the cemetery. The Repatriation General Hospital to put your own name forward - others last night refused to give any informa- Make a note of the date in your diary may not know of your willingness to be- tion about the man. now and even if you can’t spare a few come part of the executive. If you’re shy, hours to help, go along and enjoy an just whisper in someone’s ear and they (Sunday Telegraph, 3rd October, 1948) interesting and enjoyable outing. will gladly nominate you. Come, visit our museum and see what we have . . .

The Concord Senior Citizens Club is holding their Annual Charity Luncheon and Auction in support of the Oncology Department at Westmead Children’s Hospital on Sunday, 19th June, 2005 at 12 noon and invites any of our members interested to join them. Cost is $15.00 each, BYO drinks. The guests of honour will be Dr. Michael Stevens, AM, FRACP, and Mayor Angelo Tsirekas and family. Some of the items to be auctioned are: * A basket donated by Telstra which includes a DVD player, a cordless phone and 2 bot- tles of Andrew Garrett wine. * A swimming cap from the Athens Olympics 2004 presented in a glass showcase and signed by the Australian Swimming Team. * An original framed watercolour painting by club member Bill Bittman. * Two tickets for the Bridge Climb, valued at $360. To secure your tickets for this worthwhile event let Jan Bedingfield, Secretary, know as soon as possible. Telephone 9743-5793. Last day for payment will be Wednesday, 8th June.

From the Secretary’s Desk

Welcome Back: It was good to see Fred back at our last meeting, together with brother Frank. We’ve missed you. Auditor Needed: Do you know anyone who would be willing to audit our books at the end of this financial year? Our current auditor has been doing the job for several years and would now like a break. A note for tour guides: To all tour guides and intending tour guides . . . we have up- dated our Tour Guide Books. Some of our guides have received these. If you haven’t, please contact the secretary to get yours. Membership: It’s time again for renewal of membership. Have you paid yet? Photographs: We still need some help to do a rough sort of our photographs so they Wed. 1st June - Walker Estates Meeting can be identified and indexed for reference. Wed. 8th June - General Meeting Photocopying, Filing and Typing: Can Wed. 22nd June - Executive Meeting you spare an hour or two, here and there, to help with this. It’s mounting up.