Captain Cook Cruises, Australia

Captain Cook Cruises is an Australian cruise operator. As of January 2018, the company operated 21 vessels on Sydney Harbour, providing a range of Government contracted and non-contracted Ferry services, Sightseeing, Dining and Charter Cruises.

Not to be confused with Captain Cook Cruises Western Australia.

Captain Cook Cruises
Founded26 January 1970
FounderTrevor Haworth
HeadquartersDarling Harbour,
Sydney
,
Australia
Area served
Sydney Harbour
Murray River
Swan River
ServicesRestaurant, river/harbour cruise & ferry operator
ParentSeaLink Travel Group
Websitewww.captaincook.com.au

History
Captain Cook II
Lady Geraldine
Lady Hawkesbury
Sydney 2000 in January 2011

Captain Cook Cruises commenced operating on 26 January 1970 on Port Jackson, Sydney with the Captain Cook, a modified 1943 Fairmile B motor launch. The business was founded by Trevor Haworth taking its name from James Cook who led the first European contact with the East Coast of Australia in 1770.[1][2]

Initially operating charters, on 1 May 1970 regular cruises began operating from Circular Quay to Middle Harbour. In November 1971 a second cruise commenced via the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers as far as the Gladesville Bridge.[1]

In August 1975, the custom-built Captain Cook II built by Carrington Slipways, Tomago was commissioned. In August 1978, the Lady Geradline was built by Millkraft Shipyards, Brisbane. This was followed by City of Sydney built by Sims Engineering, Port Chalmers in 1981.[3] In 1978 the original Northbridge marina was sold with a new facility purchased in Neutral Bay.[1]

In May 1984, the John Cadman Cruising Restaurant business was purchased. In 1987, Captain Cook Cruises began operating cruises on the Hawkesbury River and Pittwater with the Lady Hawkesbury.[4] In November 1987, the Hegarty Ferries business was purchased from Stannard Bros, primarily to give Captain Cook Cruises exclusive access to wharf 6 at Circular Quay. It operated services to Jeffrey Street, Milsons Point and McMahons Point.[3] In May 1988, the business of Murray River Developments was purchased with the Murray River Queen and Murray Princess on the Murray River and the Brisbane Explorer on the Brisbane River.[1]

In 1991, operations began on the Great Barrier Reef in a joint venture with Qantas.[3][5] The MV Reef Endeavour was ordered, however problems during its construction resulted in the Lady Hawkesbury being transferred from the Hawkesbury River to the Great Barrier Reef as the Reef Escape in July 1992. In turn the Brisbane Explorer was transferred to the Hawkesbury as the Hawkesbury Explorer II. The Reef Endeavour eventually entered service in 1995.[1]

In 1992, the company began operations in Fiji, purchasing Tivua Island, located 18km off the coast of Port Denarau. Sailing Day Cruises were commenced to the island. Reef Escape was relocated to Fiji from the Great Barrier Reef in 1995 and began accommodated cruises through the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands.

On 7 January 2003, the former Hegarty routes ceased.[6] In November 2005 Matilda Cruises was acquired from Amalgamated Holdings Limited (now Event Hospitality and Entertainment), with 11 vessels.[7][8] In 2011, Captain Cook Cruises was purchased by the SeaLink Travel Group.[9][10][11]

Sydney

Network

Captain Cook Cruises operate ferry services connecting Sydney Harbour, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Circular Quay, Watsons Bay, Manly and the Lane Cove River.

  • City Loop
  • Shark Island

Captain Cook Cruises commenced a commuter service between Watsons Bay and Circular Quay on 23 March 2015.[14]

Vessels
NameBuilderYear builtNotes
Captain Cook I 1943 Fairmile B motor launch formerly named Daydream II, sold to Fiji as Stardust II
Captain Cook II Carrington Slipways, Tomago 1975
Corsair purchased second hand 1976
Lady Geraldine Millkraft Shipyards, Hemmant 1978 named after Trevor Haworth's wife
City of Sydney Sims Engineering, Port Chalmers 1981
John Cadman 1970 purchased with John Cadman Cruising Restaurant business May 1984, rebuilt from burnt out hull of Lady Scott built for Sydney Ferries Limited in 1915, sold as Harbour Queen
John Cadman II Carrington Slipways, Tomago 1986
Leura purchased with Hegarty Ferries business November 1987, sold 2003, named after Leura
Seeka Star 1940 purchased with Hegarty Ferries business November 1987, sold 2003
Twin Star 1972 purchased with Hegarty Ferries business November 1987, sold 2003
Lady Hawkesbury Carrington Slipways, Tomago 1987 transferred from Hawkesbury River to Great Barrier Reef and renamed Reef Escape July 1992
Murray River Queen Hindmarsh Island 1974 purchased with Murray River Developments business May 1988, sold 1993
Murray Princess Hindmarsh Island 1986[15] purchased with Murray River Developments business May 1988
Brisbane Explorer purchased with Murray River Developments business May 1988, transferred from Brisbane River to Hawkesbury River and renamed Hawkesbury Explorer II
John Cadman III Carrington Slipways, Tomago 1989
Captain Cook III Wavemaster, Fremantle 1990
Reef Endeavour Government Shipyard, Suva 1995
Sydney 2000 Austal, Perth 1998
Alice Norman R Wright & Sons, Bulimba 1996 purchased with Matilda Cruises business November 2005[16]
Jillian Norman R Wright & Sons, Bulimba 1996 purchased with Matilda Cruises business November 2005[16]
Megan Norman R Wright & Sons, Bulimba 1996 purchased with Matilda Cruises business November 2005[16]
Elizabeth Cook Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2013 named after Elizabeth Cook[17]
Mary Reibey Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2014 named after Mary Reibey[18]
Annabelle Rankin Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2014 named after Annabelle Rankin[19]
Violet McKenzie Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2015 named after Violet McKenzie[20]
Capricorn Sunrise Aluminium Boats Australia, Hemmant 2011 transferred from Gladstone November 2016[21]
Cockle Bay Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2016 named after Cockle Bay[22]
Blackwattle Bay Richardson Devine Marine, Hobart 2016 named after Blackwattle Bay[22]
Nancy Wake Aluminium Marine, Thornlands 2017 named after Nancy Wake[23]

References
  1. Goldsack, Robert (1995). A Silver Jubilee: Captain Cook Cruises. Sydney: Fendwave. ISBN 0 646 19412 7.
  2. Trevor Haworth 1931-2014 Otituary Sydney Morning Herald 10 April 2014
  3. Andrews, Graeme (1994). Ferries of Sydney. Sydney: Sydney University Press. pp. 177–179. ISBN 0 424002 02 7.
  4. Andrews, Graeme (1994). Ferries of Sydney. Sydney: Sydney University Press. pp. 201–202. ISBN 0 424002 02 7.
  5. Luxury cruiser for Qld Canberra Times 17 January 1990 page 4
  6. Hegarty's ferry service Afloat Magazine February 2003
  7. Introducing Matilda Cruises Archived 8 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Matilda Cruises
  8. Quay Cruises Pty Ltd proposed acquisition of assets of Matilda Cruises Pty Ltd Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 3 November 2005
  9. SeaLink buys Capt Cook Cruises ABC News 25 August 2011
  10. SeaLink acquires Captain Cook Cruises Travel Weekly 25 August 2011
  11. Prospectus Archived 7 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine SeaLink Travel Group 2013
  12. Lane Cove Ferry Timetable Captain Cook Cruises 11 June 2013
  13. Taronga Zoo Ferry Timetable Captain Cook Cruises 24 December 2010
  14. Watsons Bay finally gets a commuter ferry as Captain Cook Cruises launches private service Wentworth Courier 27 March 2015
  15. Princess takes to the water Victor Harbor Times 4 June 1986 page 1
  16. Vessel Directory Norman R Wright & Sons
  17. RDM059 Elizabeth Cook Richardson Devine Marine
  18. Another New Generation Vessel Joins Captain Cook Cruises Fleet Sealink Travel Group 28 May 2014
  19. Third New Generation Vessel Joins Captain Cook Cruises Fleet Sealink Travel Group 8 July 2014
  20. Fourth New-Generation Ferry for Sydney Harbour Incat Crowther 5 February 2015
  21. SeaLink's super ferry for Sydney Harbour ETB Travel 3 November 2016
  22. Captain Cook Cruises adds two new innovative Catamarans to fleet ETB Travel News 20 January 2017
  23. Captain Cook Cruises puts new Sydney catamaran ferry Nancy Wake into service Baird Maritime 15 December 2017

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