Today there are two ferries operating on our waterways providing service for passengers from Melbourne to Geelong and Portarlington. These services started from around 2018 and saw a return to a permanent ferry service for our region, just like the regular services that last stopped in 1942. But did you know a few failed attempts to revive a ferry services to the Geelong Region have graced our shores since the late 1980s?
This first of these ferry return attempts was a short-lived Hovercraft named the Courier, launched in 1987 the service was soon withdrawn after several mishaps and cost overun issues. Fast-forward to December 2013 and a new company trading under the name Vic Ferries began operating a catamaran service with a vessel known as the Eye Spy.
The ferry itself was a 29.5 meter luxury catamaran licensed to carry 319 passengers. Fitted with six viewing decks, a full 360 degree walk around upper sun deck, floor to ceiling windows on the main deck and a fully licensed bar and café. It was also claimed that the engines with a top speed of 30 knots (56kph) were environmentally friendly with low fuel emissions. At idle, half the cylinders in each of the two 1,350 hp engines could shut down and save as much as 80% in green house gas emissions vs driving a car over the same commute.
Much like the Courier before it, the Eye Spy operated a commuter run between Port Melbourne and Portarlington with services departing Port Melbourne at 6.15am, arriving at Portarlington at 7.15am and returning to Port Melbourne at 8.15am on Mondays to Fridays. Return tickets were priced at 24 dollars a day and were a very competitive option for Bellarine Peninsula residents who had previously commuted by train.
Other services were offered too, like lunch and bay cruises from Melbourne or Rye. Special cruises throughout the year were also planned, like a Melbourne to Geelong cruise on Australia Day eve to see the fireworks at the Geelong Waterfront.
Unfortunately, the ferry service was short-lived as the Eye Spy was withdrawn from service after an engine issue. Vic Ferries did plan to restart the service with a different ferry in November 2014, but this was never to eventuate.
Today, the Eye Spy is based out of Brisbane and is operated by a whale watching company. Geelong and Portarlington eventually saw their dream of a Melbourne ferry service return in 2016 with the first trial of the Wyndham Explorer that led to the operation of the two ferries that we have today.
