FERRIES FOR FREE FROM CENTRAL GEELONG

Commuters can catch a ferry directly from central Geelong to the city with Port Phillip Ferries (PPF) as part of two trial services taking place in late July.

PPF announced an agreement with the Committee for Geelong, to run the service direct from central Geelong to Docklands, Melbourne; the trials are accessible to anyone in the Greater Geelong region to experience and will include a commuter service plus a Corio Bay ferry familiarisation and leisure tour.

Committee for Geelong CEO Rebecca Casson said she believed passengers nwould benefit from an alternative way to get to and from work and the city.

“The Committee for Geelong is very pleased to have signed this agreement with Port Phillip Ferries. We believe Geelong commuters will definitely welcome and embrace this new way of travelling to work,” Ms Casson said.

“They will also benefit from the onboard facilities such as free Wi-Fi, charging stations for electronic devices, small meeting tables for business or social meetings, fold-down tables on the back of seats for ease of working and refreshments from the licenced café on board.”

The trials will be free of charge with passengers able to book a seat online via the Port Phillip Ferries website in the coming weeks.

A gold coin donation will be collected on the day to go towards a local charity, with the success of the trials set to determine the future of permanent high-speed ferry services between Geelong and Melbourne.

The collaboration between Port Phillip Ferries and the Committee for Geelong has also been made possible through partnership from local businesses and organisations that are members of the Committee.

Businesses include: Edge, Gartland Property, Geelong Connected Communities, Novotel Hotels and Resorts Geelong, The Pier Geelong, Transport Accident Commission and Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine.

The privately-run passenger ferry service has been in operation between Portarlington and Victoria Harbour Docklands since November 2016 and offers services 365 days of the year. Port Phillip Ferries CEO Murray Rance said they were delighted to see the Geelong community welcoming the idea of ferry travel as an alternative way of commuting between Geelong and Melbourne.

“Port Phillip Ferries look forward to creating opportunities not only for daily commuters, but also the leisure and business markets. We are confident we can add value to people’s lives via this service, as we have already witnessed within the Bellarine Peninsula community,” he said.