Plans to return South Steyne to Darling Harbour
One of the best known Manly ferries, the SS South Steyne, has always had a special place on Sydney harbour.
Launched in Scotland in 1938 and starting service in Sydney later that year, the South Steyne was eventually turned into a floating restaurant at Darling Harbour.
There are estimates it has journeyed between Circular Quay and Manly more than 100,000 times and carried more than 92 million passengers.
But with Darling Harbour’s $1 billon facelift, the vessel had to move location and shift her moorings.
The result: it was stored at Berrys Bay to allow Darling Harbour jetty to be demolished.
South Steyne owner Brian McDermott, who has looked after the vessel for 25 years, has funded its repairs and maintenance from the restaurants takings.
But until the Roads and Maritime Services finds a new berth for the South Steyne, his business is on hold.
It’s been a tough wait for eight months but he is confident it will happen. He says a proposal is now being considered.
"We're the state's only heritage-listed vessel, so the state government have been pretty keen to make sure the vessel is looked after," Mr McDermott told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The importance of the South Steyne to Sydney’s history cannot be understated.
Heritage experts say it is one of Sydney Harbour’s four major icons, sitting alongside the Bridge, the Opera House and Luna Park.
Maritime enthusiast Anthon Buckley is concerned about the vessel’s future and says the state cannot afford to have the ferry rotting like her predecessors, the Baragoola and the North Head.
"We have a responsibility to look after our heritage and whilst the vessel's owners have the very best intentions, I'm concerned they don't have the capital needed to preserve her. The government should take [the] initiative and give funds to the Maritime Museum so she can be acquired from the owner ... our heritage should be publicly owned, not privately owned," Mr Buckley told the Sydney Morning Herald.
by Leon Gettler, December 13th 2016
