Editing Searoad Ferries (section)

==History==
Three sea pilots, Paul Ringe, Keith Finnemore and Maurie Cobal founded Peninsula Searoad Transport Pty Ltd (PST) in 1983. They believed that a vehicular ferry should run between Queenscliff and Sorrento. There were mixed opinions about this from the public. Some people thought that the novelty would wear off and then business would fail. However, the various tourism boards in Victoria were excited about the prospect of having a vehicular ferry, linking the two peninsulas and would also create tourism jobs.<ref name="twelvemil">{{cite web|url=http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/d025c300601da9dc4a25688e00143d49/e9fa53d63dc6e4ac4a256b510080ffb2%21OpenDocument%26Click%3D|work=Media Release|publisher=Office of the Premier|title=Deputy Premier Launches $12 Million Queenscliff to Sorrento Ferry|date=April 2001|accessdate=2007-07-26|archive-date=7 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207213802/http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/d025c300601da9dc4a25688e00143d49/e9fa53d63dc6e4ac4a256b510080ffb2%21OpenDocument%26Click%3D|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Peninsula Princess===
[[File:Peninsula Princess.jpg|thumb|The ''Peninsula Princess'' in 2008]]

After various planning, on 19 June 1987 the ''[[Peninsula Princess (Australia)|Peninsula Princess]]'' was launched in [[Carrington, New South Wales|Carrington]], [[New South Wales]]. She underwent sea trials before moving to Port Phillip Bay.<ref name="stamp">''Peninsular Stamp Club'' (1987), Notes on the inauguration of the Peninsular Princess car / passenger ferry</ref> Her crew boarded her in [[Geelong]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] to get a feel for the vessel. She had to wait there for the Queenscliff berth to be completed.

The first sailing was intended to be on 7 September 1987,<ref name="stamp" /> but the berths specially designed for this vessel<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burchillpartners.com.au/ft-queen.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991007163901/http://www.burchillpartners.com.au/ft-queen.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1999-10-07|title=Queenscliff and Sorrento Roll-On / Roll-Off Ferry Terminals|publisher=Burchill VDM|accessdate=2007-07-26}}</ref> at Queenscliff and Sorrento were not yet complete.

On 13 September 1987, she entered service.{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}} On the first arrival at Sorrento, the skipper encountered a problem with the ahead/astern controls. She hit the concrete wharf and whilst tyres around the wharf buffered the impact there was still considerable damage done to the [[Transom (nautical)|transom]]. Commercial operations started on the weekend commencing 19 September 1987.<ref name="stamp" />

A few weeks later, during low tide at Queenscliff the crew encountered problems because of the depth of the water and the strong winds. As one of the deckhands attempted to take control by winching the boat in to its berth, the rope slipped and jumped and he was thrown to the deck. By the time he attempted to regain his footing the ''Peninsula Princess'' had been taken hold of by the wind. She was thrown against the edge of the creek and broke a propeller and had a bent shaft. The ferry had to be [[dry dock]]ed for repairs. The business had financial issues and could not afford for this to happen again.{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}}

After the new ferry was introduced, the ''Peninsula Princess'' was frequently docked at the former Queenscliff ferry berth. In 2004 the ferry was sighted docked in the [[Tamar River]] in [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]], [[Tasmania]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/San/public/%7B94623888-D77D-4D8D-9277-507FB4E1006C%7D/20046181355/20046181355/html/20046181355_10.htm |title=Member for Flinders Liz Penfold MP Parliamentary Travel report King Island/Tasmania/Melbourne |date=16–29 April 2004 |accessdate=2007-07-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091632/http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/San/public/%7B94623888-D77D-4D8D-9277-507FB4E1006C%7D/20046181355/20046181355/html/20046181355_10.htm |archivedate=29 September 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref>

===MV ''Queenscliff''===
{{main|MV Queenscliff (1992)}}
[[File:Queenscliff ferry terminal.jpg|thumb|Ferry terminal at [[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]], with [[MV Queenscliff (1992)|''MV Queenscliff'']] unloading cars]]
By the early 1990s, traffic using the ferry had increased, and an increase in capacity was required to cope. A new and much larger ferry, the [[MV Queenscliff (1992)|MV ''Queenscliff'']] was purchased, and work commenced on the ferry berths to enable them to  handle the new ferry. At Sorrento the existing berth was altered, while at Queenscliff a new berth was built to the south.

These works were not without controversy, and Peninsula Searoad Transport was required to attend the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to resolve the issues.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/pressrel.nsf/8c6a107c25fde2364a2562e600030477/70f2b876f94f5efe4a2561f1002bdaaf!OpenDocument&Click= | publisher=Office of the Minister for Planning | title=Queenscliff to Sorrento Ferry | date=4 February 1993 | accessdate=2007-07-26 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010621/http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/pressrel.nsf/8c6a107c25fde2364a2562e600030477/70f2b876f94f5efe4a2561f1002bdaaf%21OpenDocument%26Click%3D | archivedate=27 September 2007 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref> The new ferry cost $5 million, and was put into service on 22 December 1993.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/pressrel.nsf/0cc988f35cba63df4a25620d002c68f3/ce757a23163f570f4a2561f100330b39!OpenDocument&Click=| work=Media Release| publisher=Office of the Premier| title=Premier Launches New Bay Ferry Service| date=22 December 1993| accessdate=2007-07-26| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930223526/http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/pressrel.nsf/0cc988f35cba63df4a25620d002c68f3/ce757a23163f570f4a2561f100330b39%21OpenDocument%26Click%3D| archivedate=30 September 2007| url-status=dead| df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On 12 October 2005, the [[Australian Defence Force]] staged an anti-terrorism exercise on the MV ''Queenscliff''. Two [[UH-60 Black Hawk|Black Hawk]] [[helicopters]] were used to fast rope members of the Tactical Assault Group onto the roof of the ferry, and members of the Boat Assault Force boarded the ferry from inflatable dinghies.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2005/Oct/20051020.cfm| date=20 October 2005| title=Exercise Mars Anchor and Exercise Mercury| publisher=ADF| accessdate=2007-07-26| archive-date=1 August 2012| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801041455/http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2005/Oct/20051020.cfm| url-status=live}}</ref>

===MV ''Sorrento''===
{{main|MV Sorrento (2001)}}
[[File:The Searoad Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry 'MV Sorrento', Queenscliff, jjron, 06.07.2010.jpg|thumb|[[MV Sorrento (2001)|''MV Sorrento'']] docking at [[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]]]]
[[File:Aerial perspective of the Searoad Ferry, the most effecient source of transport between Port Philip's Heads. March 2023.jpg|thumb|Aerial perspective of the Searoad Ferry, the most efficient source of transport between Port Philip's Heads. March 2023.]]
Traffic using the ferry service continued to grow though the 1990s, carrying about 110,000 cars/trucks/coaches/motorcycles and 600,000 passengers each year.<ref name="twelvemil"/> As a result, in 2000 it was decided to purchase a second ferry, enabling a doubling in the service frequency.

The [[MV Sorrento (2001)|''MV Sorrento'']] was built in [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]], [[Tasmania]], [[Australia]] at a cost of $12 million, and was similar in size and appearance to the existing ferry. Minor differences between the two include an elevator from the car deck to the top deck, a new lounge at the front called the 'Portsea Lounge', and the number of exterior windows at the top would be in groups of three, not in fours.

The increased frequency resulted in the closure of the [[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]] - [[Portsea, Victoria|Portsea]] - [[Sorrento, Victoria|Sorrento]] passenger ferry service in the early 2000s.