A 25 Year Ferry Tale A 25 Year Ferry Tale The Queenscliff Sorrento Ferry Service celebrates 25 years of moving cars and passengers across Port Phillip Bay with a weekend of festivities on board the company's two ferries on the 15th and 16th of September.
Twenty-five years ago, a single vessel, MV Peninsula Princess, made its first sailing from Queenscliff to Sorrento.
After 30 years of dreaming, planning and lobbying on both the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas, a modern, reliable vehicular ferry service linking the Peninsulas became a reality.
Since 1987, Searoad Ferries have carried more than 10 million people and covered more than 1 million kilometres , that s the equivalent of 25 times around the world Today, the two ferries make over 8000 sailings a year carrying over 700,000 passengers and 200,000 vehicles.
Making the Queenscliff Sorrento Ferry Service Australia s busiest car and passenger ferry service the next busiest is Melbourne- Devonport with 407,000 passenger per annum .
In the early years of operation, the service faced many challenges from terminal construction and planning, through to weather and operational viability.
Searoad Ferries operated simply as a transport service, attracting just a few thousand visitors and vehicles each year between Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula and Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula.
However, the spectacular journey soon boosted the ferry s popularity, and as numbers grew, the 60-metre, all-weather MV Queenscliff was introduced in 1994, carrying up to 700 passengers 70 vehicles.
In order to double capacity and enable hourly departures from both ports, the MV Sorrento was introduced in 2000.
Then in 2011, the 17 year old MV Queenscliff underwent a multi million dollar renovation resulting in a world-class ferry as part of the new company direction moving from transport to tourism.
The Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry is now a must do attraction at both historic villages, and a highlight of the Victorian coastal travel experience.
It operates on the hour, every hour, 7am to 6pm daily.
An extra twilight service runs at peak times throughout summer.
Nowadays the spectacular 40-minute trip provides a vital tourism route with over 60 of passengers actively engaged with tourism in the region.
Passengers come from all over Victoria, interstate and overseas on motorbikes, in campervans, pulling a caravan, in coaches or driving a car.
They travel from all over world to see this beautiful part of Australia, to avoid the laborious tolled 220km journey through Melbourne experience the beauty of Port Phillip Bay.
The service links the Victorian tourism icons of the Great Ocean Road, Bellarine Peninsula, Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island.
Passengers enjoy easy drive on drive off facilities, spacious comfortable lounges with full-length windows, a tempting cafe and plenty of deck space.
In addition to the onboard comforts, the scenery experienced as part of the journey is breathtaking.
The 40-minute sea journey that links these regions always brings its own special surprises.
Passengers enjoy the coastal views while watching big ships cruise by and see playful dolphins surfing around in the ferry s bow waves.
This winter, whale sightings have been frequent, as these mammoth creatures search for food during their annual migration.
In summer, passengers enjoy the sun as yachts and pleasure boats swoop across the bay.
Passengers can learn about the region and the sights that they see while on the journey through the onboard interpretation boards and information videos throughout the passenger lounges.
In addition to experiencing the onboard tourism experience, ferry passengers appreciate that a car travelling on the ferry saves 40 kg of CO2emissions compared to a car driven the additional 210km around Port Phillip Bay.
Based on modeling by Commonwealth Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population Communities Staff, customers, local residents and management are proud and passionate about their ferry service, with many staff and customers association with the company going all the way back to 1987.
Nowadays, many local people rely on the ferry service to get to work or run a business.
On-board the ferries each morning and afternoon are the regular commuters.
These commuters are tradesmen, business people and even the Aoli family who live in Rye commute daily to the Bellarine Peninsula for work and school.
Throughout the day the ferry service is utilized by local businesses for freight, families visiting children and grandchildren and locals visiting the attractions, wineries and great food experiences on the other side .
Searoad Ferries, a privately owned family business, operates without any government funding and employs more than 90 full time and part time staff all living in the local region.
Through the commitment and hard work of the staff and management the ferry service has become what it is today.
It has played a pivotal role in the revitalisation of tourism in the local regional areas.
Passengers utilizing the ferry service contribute 100 million annually to the local tourism economy on both sides of Port Phillip Bay, supporting over 500 jobs.
In 2011, newly appointed CEO Matt McDonald, begun the process of revitalising the company and has implemented many new initiatives in the past 18 months.
These include a new and attractive fare structure such as discount returns, concessions discounts, children under 4 travel free, family tickets, online specials, dogs and bikes for free and a just released locals card.
Improved services such as online bookings, baristas on board, updated food and beverage offerings, on board activities, wi-fi, children s play areas, interpretation boards as well as a range of internal, operational and environmental improvements.
The anniversary is a significant milestone, and a great opportunity to recognise the service that this iconic business has delivered in providing a crucial link between the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsula s said Matt McDonald .
Searoad Ferries...
here s to 25 years of connecting our coast.
We are all looking forward to the next 25 years Join Searoad Ferries for a weekend of fun and festivities to celebrate 25 years...
SATURDAY 15th SUNDAY 16th SEPTEMBER, 2012 Regional Showcase Food and Wine, live music.
Peninsula Hot Springs' tubs Golf DEPARTS QUEENSCLIFF 11am, 1pm, 3pm DEPARTS SORRENTO 12pm, 2pm, 4pm Family Fun Thomas the Tank Engine, Marine Touch Tank, Magician, Face Painters.
Onboard BBQ DEPARTS SORRENTO 11am, 1pm, 3pm DEPARTS QUEENSCLIFF 12pm, 2pm, 4pm Fireworks just after 7pm at Sorrento Ferry Terminal Free onboard activities with the purchase of a ferry ticket.
For more details or to book online and save www.searoad.com.au Sept 15 16CELEBRATINGYEARS Two days of live music, onboard activites and regional food and wine Free onboard activities included with the purchase of a ferry ticket.
Call 52583244 or visit www.searoad.com.au for more information.
September 15th 16th, 2012 Saturday Night Firworks Book Online Save 30 GoodLife - Spring 2012...
august, september, october.