Smooth sailing between the cities
THE DAILY COMMUTE HAS BEEN REINVIGORATED WITH A REGULAR FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN MELBOURNE’S DOCKLANDS AND GEELONG
THERE were rough seas to navigate before Port Phillip Ferries was in the position to establish regular commuter ferry services between Docklands and Geelong.
Speed limits on the Yarra, since resolved, and the proliferation of regulators responsible for the Yarra
River made initial negotiations challenging.
But like many other good ideas, this one was worth waiting for.
The first of the much-anticipated Port Philip Ferry trials took place on July 24, 2018.
This was the first time Geelong residents were able to commute to work in Melbourne via a ferry.
The free trial services were due to a partnership between Port Phillip Ferries and the Committee for Geelong, along with support from: Bay FM, The Pier,
Gartland Real Estate, Geelong Connected Communities, Novotel Geelong, Transport Accident Commission, Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine and Viva Energy.
The ferry trials were accessible to anyone in the Greater Geelong region to experience and included a commuter service plus a Corio Bay ferry familiarisation and leisure tour.
Rebecca Casson was chief executive officer of the Committee for Geelong in 2018, and she voiced her belief that passengers would benefit from an alternative way to get to and from work and the city.
“The Committee for Geelong is pleased to have signed this agreement with Port Phillip Ferries,” Casson says. “We believe Geelong commuters will definitely welcome and embrace this new way of travelling to work.”
Port Phillip Ferries CEO Murray Rance said at the time they were delighted to see the Geelong community had welcomed the idea of ferry travel as an alternative way of commuting between Geelong and Melbourne.
“Port Phillip Ferries look forward to creating opportunities not only for daily commuters, but also the leisure and business markets.
“We are confident we can add value to people’s lives via this service, as we have already witnessed within the Bellarine Peninsula community,” Rance says.
The trials of the Docklands to Geelong service were free of charge to establish the appetite of the travelling Geelong public.
The success of these trials supported by the Committee for Geelong was key to today’s, high-speed, twice daily ferry services between Geelong and Melbourne, on the purpose built Geelong Flyer.
The ferry service was forced to close during the pandemic but resumed in November as restrictions were eased.
WE BELIEVE GEELONG COMMUTERS WILL DEFINITELY WELCOME AND EMBRACE THIS NEW WAY OF TRAVELLING TO WORK