Lady Cutler

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title: "Lady Cutler" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ferries-of-new-south-wales", "ferries-of-victoria-(state)", "ferry-transport-in-sydney", "ships-built-in-new-south-wales", "1968-ships"] description: "Ferry" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Cutler" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Ferry ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox ship"]

Field	Value
display_title	ital
section1	{{Infobox ship/image
image	Lady Cutler.JPG
image_caption	Lady Cutler
section2	{{Infobox ship/career
country	Australia
flag
name	Lady Cutler
owner	*1968-1974: Sydney Harbour Transport Board
*2007-present: Jeff Gordon (Huntly Gordon Investments Pty Ltd)<ref name	MC
route	Sydney Harbour ferry
builder	State Dockyard, Newcastle
yard_number	80
laid_down	1 March 1968
launched	10 August 1968
commissioned	re-commissioned 13 January 2008 by Lady Joan Cutler
in_service	1968
identification	*
*MMSI Number: 503334800<ref name	MC/
registry	*1968-1998: Sydney
*1998-present: Melbourne<ref name	AMSA /
section3	{{Infobox ship/characteristics
type	double-ended ferry, later excursion vessel
tonnage
length	38.66 m
beam	9.3 m
depth	2.1 m
power	MWM turbo diesel 8 cylinders 510bhp
::

| display_title = ital |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = Lady Cutler.JPG | image_caption = Lady Cutler

|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | country = Australia | flag = | name = Lady Cutler | owner = *1968-1974: Sydney Harbour Transport Board

• 1974-1980: Public Transport Commission
• 1980-1989: Urban Transit Authority
• 1989-1991: State Transit Authority
• 2007-present: Jeff Gordon (Huntly Gordon Investments Pty Ltd) | operator = | route = Sydney Harbour ferry | ordered = | builder = State Dockyard, Newcastle | original_cost = | yard_number = 80 | way_number = | laid_down = 1 March 1968 | launched = 10 August 1968 | completed = | commissioned = re-commissioned 13 January 2008 by Lady Joan Cutler | acquired = | maiden_voyage = | in_service = 1968 | out_of_service = | identification = *
• MMSI Number: 503334800
• Callsign: VKV7020 | registry = *1968-1998: Sydney
• 1998-present: Melbourne | fate = | status = | notes =

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | class = | type = double-ended ferry, later excursion vessel | tonnage = | displacement = | length = 38.66 m | beam = 9.3 m | height = | draught = | draft = | depth = 2.1 m | decks = | power = MWM turbo diesel 8 cylinders 510bhp | propulsion = | speed = | capacity = | crew = | notes = '*MV *Lady Cutler''''' was a Lady-class ferry on Sydney Harbour services for 22 years. Retired from Sydney ferry service in 1991, she has since been refurbished and now operates tours on Port Phillip, Melbourne.

Design and construction

MV Lady Cutler was the first of the Lady Class ferries built between 1968 and 1969 for the Sydney Harbour Transport Board to operate in Sydney Harbour. She was of double-ended design with a capacity for 590 passengers. With a length of 38.66 m and beam of 9.3 m, her tonnage is .

The ferry was launched on 10 August 1968 at the State Dockyard, Newcastle and named after Lady Helen Cutler, wife of the 32nd Governor of New South Wales, Roden Cutler.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Sydney_Ferry_LADY_CUTLER_approaching_Circular_Quay_circa_1980.tif" caption="''Lady Cutler'' approaches [[Circular Quay]], circa 1980"] ::

Lady Cutler entered service on 8 October 1968 and was soon followed by sister ships, Lady Woodward and Lady McKell. For over twenty years she served the various routes within Sydney Harbour, but in 1991 she suffered engine and hull problems and was laid up in Rozelle Bay until offered for sale the following year.

She was sold to Hong Kong interests in 1996, along with her sister ships, but the deal fell through. In 1998 she was sold to Ron Morrison and then to Shannon Harper, leaving Port Jackson for Melbourne. In Melbourne, much of the steelwork on her hull and superstructure was replaced. Work was sporadic and stopped in 2004, awaiting more venture capital to bring her back into survey as a cruise ship operating in Port Phillip and the Port of Melbourne.

Jeff Gordon bought the vessel in 2007, providing the funds to complete the project. The deck steelwork was replaced and her steering and engine controls were reinstated. In June 2007 Lady Cutler sailed to Portland, where she was slipped and her hull surveyed. On the return voyage she encountered gale-force winds and large seas in the Bass Strait. Her engine broke down and she was towed to her berth. She completed her refurbishment in Melbourne in December 2007 and the following month was recommissioned by Lady Joan Cutler, Sir Roden Cutler's 2nd wife. Lady Cutler entered service as a tourist and party boat, branded as Melbourne Showboat.

References

References

1. "Lady Cutler". R B Haworth.
2. "Lady Cutler".
3. "List of registered Ships". Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
4. "Ship LADY CUTLER (Passenger Ship) Registered in Australia". marinetraffic.com.
5. [http://www.afloat.com.au/afloat-magazine/2009/may-2009/Fifty_Years_of_Sydneys_Public_Ferries#.VSORxBzIz40 Fifty Years of Sydney's Public Ferries] {{Webarchive. link. (5 April 2015 ''Afloat Magazine'' May 2009)
6. "Lady Cutler".
7. "Lady Cutler". IHS Global Ltd.
8. "Lady Cutler". Melbourne Showboat.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::