The Lady Denman's shortest voyage

The Lady Denman ferry was re-floated last month after nearly two decades on dry land. The ambitious project by the Lady Denman Heritage Complex in Huskisson on Jervis Bay saw the ninety-year old wooden ferry moved to a new location where it will become the premier exhibit in a $1.9m expansion of the museum.

The traditional wooden ferry was floated in an artificial lock before being manoeuvred into a specially-built concrete bay.

The moving of a 96.6 tonne ferry is no easy task. Museum staff spent months planning the procedure which involved building an artificial lock, fully re-planking the ferry, strengthening the hull and constructing a concrete pad and walls to house the ferry. The complicated project was guided by the Lady Denman conservation plan which was prepared last year and approved by the NSW Heritage Office.

Over 100 people turned out in Huskisson to watch the Lady Denman's final voyage. As powerful pumps filled the artificial lock, the ferry floated and was slowly manoeuvred to the new position. A diver ensured that any obstacles did not damage the hull. The SES were on hand to assist and the Huskisson Fire Brigade and Kangaroo Valley Greencorps manned the ropes.

President of the Lady Denman Heritage Complex, John Hatton, said the ferry was floated into position with a clearance of a mere 50mm.

In 67 years on Sydney's inner harbour, the Lady Denman carried hundreds of thousands of passengers. The Lady Denman is one of only two surviving traditional Lady type ferries and the only one in NSW.

The Lady Denman was built in Huskisson in 1911 by Joseph Dent for the Balmain New Ferry Company. The Lady Denman is the last remaining ferry built in Huskisson.

Over 120 small wooden ships from sail through to steam and diesel were built in Huskisson. The shipbuilders did it all: making the half model, drawing up blueprints, selecting timber from the forest, milling and adzing the wood and building the vessel.

The Lady Denman returned to the village where it was built as a significant heritage resource. The Lady Denman Heritage Complex sees its role as education, telling the story of the South Coast shipbuilding industry.

The Lady Denman Ferry project is supported by the Commonwealth Government through a $1.4M grant from the Federation Fund. The State Government has contributed $179,000 through the NSW Ministry for the Arts for the next stage of the project.

The Lady Denman is being considered for listing on the State Heritage Register. With its future now secure, this rare Sydney Harbour ferry will be a link to Sydney's traditional wooden ferries for future generations.