Sydney Harbour ferry services date back to the first years of Sydney's European settlement. Slow and sporadic boats ran along the Parramatta River from Sydney to Parramatta and served the agricultural settlements in between. By the mid-1830s, speculative ventures established regular services. From the late-nineteenth century the North Shore developed rapidly. A rail connection to Milsons Point took alighting ferry passengers up the North Shore line to Hornsby, New South Wales via North Sydney. Without a bridge connection, increasingly large fleets of steamers serviced the cross harbour routes and in the early twentieth century, Sydney Ferries Limited was the largest ferry operator in the world.

However, arguably the most well-known is the Manly ferry service, and its large ship-like ferries that negotiate the beam swells of the Sydney Heads. From the mid-nineteenth century, the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company and its forerunners ran commuter and weekend excursion services to the beach-side suburb.

The 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge dramatically and permanently changed Sydney Harbour. Sydney Ferries Limited annual patronage fell from 40 million to 15 million almost immediately. The hardships of the Great Depression and Second World War slowed the ferries' decline, but by 1951 the NSW State Government was forced to take over the ailing Sydney Ferries Limited. The Manly service fared better, and the Port Jackson company's peak year was 1946, after which a slow decline saw it too taken over by the NSW State Government in the 1970s. Ferry operations were privatised in 2015 with vessels and facilities remaining in public ownership.

Sydney's first ferries were sail and/or oar powered and by the mid-19th century, paddle steamers were well established. Double-ended ferries became common as they did not require turning at terminating wharves in Sydney's busy but narrow bays, including the main hub at Circular Quay. Double-ender ferries, however, provided technological challenges for screw (propeller) propulsion and Sydney's shift from paddle steamers to screw ferries in the closing years of the nineteenth century was relatively late. Diesel power first came to Sydney Harbour ferries mainly through the conversion of existing steam ferries to diesel in the 1930s and the 1950s, as ferry companies could generally not afford new ferries in the slow post-Bridge decades. Hydrofoils were introduced to the Manly run in the 1960s and 1970s halving travel times for those willing to pay a premium fare. Government investment in new vessels during the 1970s and 1980s saw the replacement of the surviving early twentieth century vessels. New vessels included modern Lady-class ferries, four large Manly ferries, and nine First-Fleet ferries. The most recent decades have seen the introduction of the RiverCats, JetCats, SuperCats and in 2017, the Emerald-class ferries. Apart from the four Manly "Freshwater-class" ferries, the current Sydney Ferries fleet comprises all catamarans.

Early days October 1789 - The Rose Hill Packet is launched and provides a link between Sydney Cove and the farming settlement of Parramatta. The hoy is crafted by convicts and is powered by sails and oars. Return trips between Sydney Cove to Parramatta could take a week to complete. 1793 - The first regular Parramatta River ferry service begins. circa 1800 - A number of small passage boats manned by a single oarsman provide services. The Rose Hill Packet is thought to have been discarded.

circa 1830 - Ex-convict, Billy Blue, provides Sydney's first regular cross-harbour rowboat from Dawes Point to Blues Point. 1830s - A sporadic ferry service is set up between Balmoral Beach and Balgowlah that shortens the long bush journey between Sydney and Manly and Northern Beaches. It is provided by a small sailing ketch operated by Barney Kearns. From Balmoral, passengers have to travel overland to Milson's Point where they are rowed across the harbour by a waterman. The service does not last long requiring a longer and difficult overland trip. 1831 - The ocean-going steamer Sophia Jane arrives in Sydney and used sporadically on the Parramatta River in between towing and coastal trade to Newcastle. 1 June 1831 - The first Australian-built paddle steamer, Surprise, starts regular service to Parramatta. She has limited financial success and is sold to Hobart in 1832.Gunter (1978), p. 11Prescott (1984), p 11 5 October 1832 - Experiment, a paddle-steamer powered by horses on a treadmill, makes her first run to Parramatta. She immediately lost money and was sold. c1832 - The Bedlam Point manually operated punt (Abbotsford - Gladesville) becomes the first ferry crossing. 1833 - the Australian Conveyance Company is formed and launches a new ferry, Australia on the Parramatta service. With limited competition, the service is a success with a dividend paid in 1836 of 38 per cent. 9 April 1835 - Experiment is put back into service having been fitted with 12 hp steam engine. Under the new ownership of shipping entrepreneur, John Edye Manning, she carries passengers and cargo, as well as towing work for the next five years. Australia and Experiment thus provide the first regular ferry service in Sydney. 1837 - Following the success of Australia, the Australian Conveyance Company commissions a new steamer Rapid which promised a ninety-minute trip

1840s and 1850s circa 1841 - A cross harbour service run by punt, Princess, runs in daylight hours between Dawes and Blues Points. The service fails after fifteen months.Andrews (1982), p. 12 1844 - The Waterman's Company introduces a service to Balmain with the paddle steamer Waterman, however, her reliability is poor. 1845 - Brothers Thomas and James Gerrard, use the small steamer, Fairy Queen, between Windmill Street and Blues Point, forming the first reliable cross-harbour service. 1847 - Henry Perdriau & Partners take over the Waterman and expand the service over the next three decades. 9 October 1847 - A small timber paddle steamer, Brothers, begins a run from Windmill Street in The Rocks to Blues Point. 1848 - John and Joseph Gerrard shift Brothers to a sporadic Manly service, and she becomes accepted as the first Manly ferry. 1853 - Henry Gilbert Smith charters Brothers for the first scheduled service between Sydney and Manly as the tourist trade grows. 1854 - Paddle steamer Victoria begins excursion trips to Watsons Bay. 1855 - Iron paddle steamer, Herald, is imported from England in sections and assembled in Sydney for the newly formed North Shore Steam Company. She is used on a fledgling North Shore route between Dawes Point and Blues Point and also as a tug to make her financially viable. 1855 - The Sydney-Parramatta railway opens, however, due to its alignment considerably south of the harbour, ferry services are still important for services along the Parramatta River. 1856 - Paddle steamer, Victoria, begins daily services to Manly. Running until 1860, she is the first regular Manly ferry. 1859 - Phantom, the first large double-ended ferry on the Manly run, is put into service by a new business partnership between Henry Gilbert Smith and SB Skinner established to operate the ferries.

1860s and 1870s

1860s - The cross-harbour punt at Bedlam Point is joined by manually operated punts at Gladesville (Five Dock Point - Huntleys Point) and Iron Cove (Rozelle - Drummoyne). 1860 - Mosman landowner Richard Hayes Harnett commences excursion services to promote his land sales hiring steamers Black Swan, Perri, Brothers and Herald. The service is abandoned due to slow sales. 1861 - City to North Shore services have grown considerably and the North Shore Ferry Company is formed. The company's first ferry is Kirribilli (I). Alexander, Nell, Galatea and Coombra follow. The unincorporated company is the forerunner of what will become Sydney Ferries Limited in 1900. Its backers include James Milson and Francis Lord. 1864 - A regular ferry service is commenced to the Neutral Bay area, however, it is soon discontinued. 1865 - The Parramatta River Steam Company is formed by Charles Edward Jeanneret initially in partnership with Jules Joubert. It is incorporated the following year. Its first services are by Ysobel and its main vessel will be Adelaide (later renamed Swan). 1867/68 - Ownership of the Manly services passes to TJ Parker and later Thomas Hesleton who expanded both passenger and cargo services acquiring the first permanent saloon steamer, Royal Alfred, in 1873. 1870s - Land subdivision sees development east of Milsons Point in the Neutral Bay and Mosman areas. Mosman is originally an excursion area and residential development suffers until regular ferry services began in the 1870s. 1871 - Harnett recommences ferry services to Mosman using Herald. 1871 - The Joubert family commences ferry services to Hunters Hill and a service along the Lane Cove River to Figtree. 1873 (circa) - Herald is working to Mosman Bay and Neutral Bay in a somewhat irregular weekday timetable. 1873 - The North Shore Ferry Company is reformed as the North Shore Steam Ferry Company 1873 - Jeanneret establishes his own ferry operation which becomes the monopoly Parramatta River services by 1875. 1875 - Ownership of the Manly service passes to JR Carey who, with other partners the following year, injects new capital into the service. 1876 - William Harmer begins a ferry service to Watsons Bay. 1876 - Harnett buys back the Mosman estate and he successfully subdivides the land. He commences a more successful service for the new residents using Golden Rose, Zeus, Speedwell and Matilda. The service is taken over by Shipley, Chapman and Company in 1878 and by Charles Jeanneret in 1881. 1877 - The Port Jackson Steam Boat Company is incorporated and commences services to Manly from Circular Quay via Woolloomooloo. 1878 - The North Shore Steam Ferry Company becomes the limited liability North Shore Steam Ferry Company. 1878 - Fairlight, the first purpose-built Manly ferry, enters service for the Port Jackson Steam Boat Company. The first of five subsequent Manly ferries built in Scotland, the paddle-steamer is rated at 950 passengers and works on the harbour until 1914. 1879 - The North Shore Company introduces Sydney's first, and the world's second, double-ended screw ferry, Wallaby. This remains the basic design of all Sydney double-ended screw ferries, however, the company continues acquiring paddle steamers until 1885. Double-ended screw ferries become the norm for the fleet from 1891 with the introduction of Kangaroo.

1880s

1881 - G Shipley begins services to the North Shore with Katie and Pacific. 1881 - The Port Jackson Steams Boat Company is reincorporated as Port Jackson Steamship Co. Limited. New vessels are acquired. 1881 - Aleathea is introduced and is the second double-ended screw ferry and the first ferry on the harbour with electric lighting. 1881 - Sir John Robertson takes over and expands Watson Bay services. In 1887, the company is formed into a limited liability company, the Watsons Bay Steam and South Shore Steam Ferry Company. In comparison to other harbour areas, the service relies more heavily on tourist trade although there is considerable residential trade from the South Head peninsula. The service also derives much trade from the Garden Island Naval Dockyard which was a separated island until World War II. 1882 - Charles Jeanneret begins services to the North Shore. 1882 - The Perdriau family form the Balmain Steam Ferry Company Limited as a limited liability company. It faces competition from the J Watson and Partners which it buys out in 1887. The company, along with the North Shore Steam Ferry Company Limited, go on to refine the double-ended wooden ferry which will form the backbone of inner harbour ferry fleets for most of the twentieth century.