ferry

The Diamantina River is a major river located in Central West Queensland and the far north of South Australia. The river was named by William Landsborough in 1866 for Lady Diamantina Bowen (née Roma), wife of Sir George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland.[1] It has three major tributaries the Western River, Mayne River and Farrars Creek.[3] Most of the basin of the Diamantina is very flat—even the highest points in the northeast do not reach 500 m (1,600 ft) above sea level and Lake Eyre itself is 16 m (52 ft) below sea level. Apart from a few streams near Winton (the largest town in the basin) almost all rivers in the basin flow southwestwards towards Birdsville. The Diamantina River has no main channel, rather it is a series of wide relatively shallow channels.[3] The major feature of the river's sluggish course is Diamantina National Park about halfway between Winton and Birdsville. Apart from the national park, almost all land in the basin is used for grazing cattle and sheep, though numbers fluctuate greatly and considerable skill is required on the part of graziers. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamantina_River

River ferries have long been a feature of the daily life of Brisbane. Prior to the construction of the first bridge connecting North and South Brisbane in the 1860s they were essential for both personal and commercial use. Even after this they proved an economical alternative for government and local authorities looking to avoid significant capital investment, yet still make provision for cross river pedestrian, four legged and vehicular traffic. Small volume pedestrian traffic could be handled by conventional rowboat with the ferryman at the oars. A simple jetty with steps down to a landing was all that was required in terms of infrastructure. Ferries to carry vehicles, bulky goods and stock required a larger and a more stable craft, sturdy timber punts appear to have been the default. The combination of river current and larger displacement/more weight meant that the vehicular ferries needed to be cable stayed, and in addition, required greater expenditure on approach roads and durable trafficable ramps. Source: brisbanehistorywest.wordpress.com/2019/01/08/muscle-power...

Note correct spelling, Macinac (no w). From Facebook: "This photo of the Straits of Mackinac car ferry City of Munising was taken by John Taylor's grandparents in about 1939." www.facebook.com/210773555600457/photos/a.214341535243659... Another similar-looking ferry: www.mackinacbridge.org/history/michigan-state-ferry-album/ "Ferry business continued to grow. In 1937, the Highway Department bought a converted Lake Michigan railway car ferry to provide additional service. The vessel was renamed the "City of Cheboygan". It had a capacity of 85 vehicles."