Sydney Ferries service being operated on the Parramatta River by PS "Surprise" from 1831. Cross-harbour services began in 1842 and this business grew to such an extent that a public company was formed, the North Shore Steam Ferry Co. Ltd. in 1878. In 1900, the North Shore company was reincorporated as Sydney Ferries Limited (SFL), which progressively took over most other harbour ferry services (except notably the Manly service operated by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company), and became the world's largest ferry operator by fleet size. After the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in March 1932, SFL patronage dropped almost overnight,
Sydney Harbour Transport Board Sydney Harbour Transport Board The Sydney Harbour Transport Board was a statutory of the Government of New South Wales responsible for the provision of ferry services on Sydney Harbour from July 1951 until November 1974. With its Sydney Harbour services having become unprofitable, in March 1951 Sydney Ferries Limited advised the Government of New South Wales of its intention to cease operating ferry services on Sydney Harbour. After investigating the possibility of using statutory powers to compulsorily acquire the business without paying compensation, the government agreed to purchase the business with 15 ferries from 1 July 1951. Pursuant to the