Presentation by Alicia Ames
PhD Candidate
School of Geography, Planning, Environmental Management
The University of Queensland a.ames@uq.edu.au

• Many cities have evolved proximate to water bodies
Communication means
Transporting goods, people, livestock
Accelerated economic development
(Castonguay &
Evenden 2012;
Lambert 2010)
“Rivers are a spatial system woven into the geographic fabric of the city”
(Castonguay & Evenden 2012 p. 5).
• Expansion of land-based transport led to the decline of water-based transport

Source: Fotograf 2006 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khlong_Saen_Saeb#/media/File:Ferrieskhlon gsaensaeb0609.jpg
Source: Iioilo Wanderer 2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khlong_Saen_Saeb#/media/File:Major_ferr y_boat_stop_Bangkok_with_skyscraper.JPG
Khlong Saen Saeb connects the Chao Phraya River to Prachin Buri and
Chachoengsao

• Water-based transport most reliable means for communication and transport of goods and passengers
• Earliest documented ferry services on the Brisbane River are in 1843
• Ferries plied the river connecting small settlements located at Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane and North
Brisbane

TOD is generally described as medium to high density walkable, mixeduse development focused around high frequency transit stations, stops or exchanges and featuring quality public spaces (Calthorpe 1993;
Cervero et al. 2004).
Traditional transit-oriented developments (TODs) have been largely land-based.
There is a growing focus on river-based developments and river-based transport.

• Waterfront development projects nestled around ferry terminals
• Spur development of waterfront areas, particularly where the decline of port, industrial and military uses has created opportunities for redevelopment
• Land value uplift may occur around terminals
Port Imperial Ferry
Terminal, New York
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weehawken_Port_I mperial#/media/File:Weehawken_Port_Imperial
_Ferry_Terminal_on_Hudson_River.jpg

• Hoboken, New York
• 8-10 minute ferry trip from
Manhattan
• In some areas, rents are half the price of midtown Manhattan
• Ranked #11 in the Top 20
‘creative class’ cities in the United
States
Source: City of Hoboken 2014
Source: City of Hoboken 2014

9
• Traditionally used to cross rivers, lakes, channels, bays, etc.
• Used to transport people primarily
• Struggle to compete with bridges and tunnels
Sydney Ferry (cross harbour route)
Source: Nicole Smith 2015

• Ferries have been used to cross the bay since 1850
• Golden Gate Bridge opened in May
1937
• Ferries declined by the late 1950s
Source: Beautiful Photography Blog n.d.

• Serious problems with traffic congestion on the bridge
• Ferries reintroduced in the late 1960s to help ease traffic congestion
• Extension of ferry services to a third terminal and special event services to baseball games and concerts at AT&T
Park
Source: Reddit 2015
Source: Golden Gate Bridge Highway &
Transport District 2015

• Distinct to ferry services that cross water bodies
• Less common to water body crossings, but increasingly being considered
• Characteristics:
• Linear travel
• Operate along a riverfront or shoreline
• Service multiple stops
• Higher speed (22-52 kilometres per hour)
• Passenger focus
• Regular service

• Cities with linear ferry systems:
• Asia – Bangkok, Manila
• Europe – London, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Hamburg
• Australia – Brisbane, Sydney
• North America – San Francisco, New York
Source: Groupon, Inc 2015 Source: Bangkok Trip n.d.
Source: CBS New York 2011

Source: Steve Parish Nature Connect 2014

Three types of ferry services:
• Cross river ferries
• Cityhopper ferries
• CityCat catamaran ferries

• Conventional single-hull boats
• Carries between 53-54 passengers
• Fleet of 6 boats
• Top speed of 8-12 knots (14-22 km/h)
• 3 cross river routes

• Conventional single-hull boats
• 8 terminals (2 shared with CityCat service)
• Carries 78 passengers
• Fleet of 3 boats
• Top speed of 8-12 knots (14-22 km/h)

Source: State of Queensland 2015

• Introduced catamaran high-speed boats in 1996
• Initially 6 catamarans in fleet, now 21
• Expanded to 18 terminals
• Carry between 149-162 passengers
• Top speed of 25 knots (42km/h)
• Run by private operator (Transdev) under tender

Reorientation of the city towards the river
Urban renewal agenda
Replace some cross-river ferry services
Tourism
Sources : (TL) Australia Trade Coast 2012, (TR) Skyscrapercity 2010, (BL) ABC 2014, (BR) Mactaggarts Place Management 2007.

University of Queensland Queensland University of Technology
Griffith University at South Bank
Link important activity centres
CBD

• Economic and commercial uses moved downstream
• Opportunity to redevelop disused industrial, warehousing and port sites along the riverfront

• Brisbane had turned its back on the river
• 1987 Brisbane’s ‘Year of the River’
• Redevelopment of South Bank for World Expo in 1988

• Hawke Labor Government introduced $816 million Building Better Cities
Program in 1991
• Urban Renewal Taskforce created with local and state government support
• Focused on inner city including riverfront suburbs New Farm, Teneriffe, Newstead
• Redevelopment of brownfield sites into residential, commercial, leisure and cultural uses
Source: Brett Gray n.d.

BEFORE
AFTER

• Provide a tourism opportunity
Source: Trip Advisor 2015

• Some cross-river ferry services ceased after the introduction
BUT
Go Card data suggests that the CityCats are being used as a linear service

• Availability of existing infrastructure
• Existing land ownership
• Topography of proposed sites
• Potential catchment land uses and population size
• Alternate public transport modes in the area

Developers show considerable interest in adding terminals to service large redevelopment sites along the river.
Source: Economic Development
Queensland 2014

A need for flood resiliency

A need for flood resiliency

A need for flood resiliency
Source: Brisbane Inner West Chamber of Commerce 2014

Expansion of the network

Ageing first generation vessels

• Increase in property values around the ferry terminals particularly for the Regatta, Bulimba and Hawthorne terminals
• Housing affordability around ferry terminals
• Potential for gentrification
• Can reduce pressure on other modes

Different routes and more express services
Thames Clippers
Hamburg

Better coordination and timing of CityCats with other public transport modes
Source: Brisbane City Council n.d.
http://wwwww.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageI
d=16163898
Source: Foto Fanatic http://www.yourbrisbanepastandpresent.com/2010/08/n ewstead-air-raid-shelter.html

Better strategic planning
• Need for an endorsed ferry strategy
• More emphasis in transport planning documents
• City Plan 2014
• Transport Plan 2008-2026
• SEQ Regional Plan 2009-2031

Consider the ‘service’ being offered

Investigate alternative financing options for ferry infrastructure such as value capture
Brisbane City Council and Regatta Hotel shared the cost of the original Regatta terminal in 2003

Higher residential densities around ferry terminals
Battersea Power Station FOD
Battersea Power Station Redevelopment
Source: Mission 2015

Prado, M 2010, ‘Golden Gate Ferry celebrates 40 years’, Marin Independent Journal, viewed 10 May, http://www.marinij.com/generalnews/20100814/golden-gate-ferry-celebrates-40-years .
Sipe, N & Burke, MI 2011, ‘Can river ferries deliver smart growth? Experience of CityCats in Brisbane, Australia’, Transportation Research
Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2217, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington
D.C, pp. 79-86.
Soltani, A, Tanko, M, Burke, M & Farid, R 2015, ‘Travel patterns of urban linear ferry passengers: Analysis of smart card fare data for
Brisbane, Australia’, Accepted for publication in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board.
Thompson, R, Burroughs, R & Smythe, T 2006, ‘Exploring the connections between ferries and urban form: Some considerations before jumping on board’, Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 25-52.
Tsai, CH, Mulley, C, Burke, M & Yen, B 2014, ‘Exploring property value effects of ferry terminals: Evidence from Brisbane, Australia’,
Proceedings from the World Society for Transport and Land Use Research, June 24-17, Delft.
Weisbrod, RE & Lawson, CT 2003, ‘Ferry systems: Planning for the revitalization of U.S cities’, Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 47-68.

Alicia Ames a.ames@uq.edu.au