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Plans to buy one of Sydney’s last remaining RiverCat ferries, which have been synonymous with the Parramatta River route for decades, have been rebuffed by the state’s transport agency, leaving it destined to be turned into scrap.
A self-described water rat, Roger Kyle has been fighting to save the Shane Gould for the past year, offering to purchase the ferry for a nominal sum to avoid it meeting the same fate as other RiverCats in the government-owned fleet.
Roger Kyle has been fighting to save one of the last two remaining RiverCat ferries for the past year. One of them, the Dawn Fraser, passes in the background.Credit: Kate Geraghty
The owner of Abbotsford Point Boatshed said he could afford to look after the ferry because he had space to moor it, avoiding fees of up to $180,000 a year to park it elsewhere on the river or Sydney Harbour. He is also the leaseholder of moorings at Fairmile Cove near Breakfast Point.
After initially indicating it was willing to consider Kyle taking the ferry, late last month Transport for NSW rejected his proposal, advising him it had decided to scrap the Shane Gould due to its “condition, environmental factors and potential reputational risks”.
Until the agency rebuffed his offer, Kyle planned to use the vessel named after the Australian Olympic swimmer to cater for Christmas parties and other events on the Parramatta River and harbour.
“It is just a shame. I am in a unique position to keep and maintain this vessel, preserving her for future generations,” he said. “They are a beautiful vessel made by Australians. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”
Kyle said his offer would save the government the cost of scrapping the vessel.
The Shane Gould awaits its fate at a berth in Rozelle Bay late last week.Credit: James Brickwood
Transport for NSW said in a statement that it was unable to provide assurance of safe operation if a RiverCat was gifted or sold at a nominal price.
“The Shane Gould has reached the end of its 30-year operational life and an investment of more than $1 million would be required to keep it mechanically sound, including the full replacement of the specialised drive system,” it said.
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The transport agency said the private operator of Sydney Ferries, Transdev, had previously explored what would be required to keep the RiverCats in use and deemed it economically unviable.
The Shane Gould was removed from service in September after 32 years plying the river and harbour, and is tied up at Rozelle Bay. It will be towed to the coastal town of Yamba in northern NSW to be dismantled.
The last remaining RiverCat – the Dawn Fraser – is due to be pulled from service early next year and scrapped at Yamba.
Seven new vessels built in Hobart are replacing the RiverCats on the F3 Parramatta River route. The $48 million cost of the new ferries includes the bill for scrapping the decades-old RiverCats.
Transport for NSW declined to reveal the cost of scrapping the Shane Gould, citing commercial in confidence.
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