Mends Street Jetty

Mends Street Jetty is located in South Perth in Western Australia. Situated at the southern shore of the Swan River in the section known as Perth Water, the ferry service is primarily used for accessing the Perth Zoo from the Perth central business district^{[citation needed]} while also being used for commuters.

Mends Street Jetty
General information
Location	South Perth Esplanade, South Perth Australia
Coordinates	31°58′15″S 115°51′14″E
Owned by	Public Transport Authority
Operated by	Transperth
Platforms	1 jetty
Other information
Fare zone	1

History

It is not known when the first jetty at Mends Street was built, however, with the opening of the Perth Zoo in October 1898 it was recognised that a regular cross-river ferry service was needed.^[1] Therefore, at about that time, the existing jetty was widened to 4.6 metres (15 ft) and an existing service that ran between William Street and Queen Street Jetty^[2] was extended to Mends Street.

The service was run by Joseph Charles, who operated the Queen (later Empress) and the Princess. A few months later, Charles and his partner S. W. Copley started operating the PS Duchess, a locally constructed vessel. Duchess made its inaugural run to Mends Street Jetty on 11 December 1898, and plied the route for the following 29 years.^[3][4]

Later services included a business operated by Jack Olsen and Claes Sutton, who ran a fleet including the Valfreda^[5] Valkyrie I and II, Valhalla and the Valdhana between jetties at Point Belches near The Narrows, Mends Street and Coode Street. In 2023 the jetty was extended and modernised for better accessibility, and the extension floats on the water to match the height of the ferry entrance instead of a fixed platform.

Services

MV Perth, Mends Street Jetty in 1939

Mends Street Jetty is served by Transperth ferry services to Elizabeth Quay operated by Captain Cook Cruises.

Preceding station		Transperth		Following station
Terminus		99998		Elizabeth Quay Jetty

The jetty is also used for charter ferry services.

References

1. Municipal Heritage Inventory City of South Perth January 2003
2. "Wading". The Daily News (Third ed.). Perth. 14 June 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 3 June 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "Passing of the Duchess". The West Australian. Perth. 20 August 1927. p. 18. Retrieved 4 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Farewell to the Duchess". The Daily News (Final ed.). Perth. 19 August 1927. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "VARIED ACTIVITY". The West Australian. Vol. 63, no. 18, 879. Western Australia. 16 January 1947. p. 14 (SECOND EDITION.). Retrieved 26 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.