She was launched in 1912 during the early-twentieth century pre-Sydney Harbour Bridge boom years of Sydney Ferries Limited.

Kanangra was retired as a ferry in 1985 and is moored at Rozelle Bay as part of the Sydney Heritage Fleet and is undergoing restoration.

Sydney Ferries Limited generally chose Australian Aboriginal names for the early twentieth "K-class" steamers.

The other four being near identical sister Kirawa and the three timber-hulled, but otherwise similar, Kirrule-type ferries, namely Kirrule (1910), Kiandra (1911), and Kubu (1912).

Kanangra followed the Sydney Ferries Limited convention of naming their vessels after Australian Aboriginal words starting with "K".

Kanangra, and sister Kirawa, were built by Mort's Dock at their Woolwich yard for Sydney Ferries Limited for a cost of £17,873 each.

Both Kanangra and Kirawa were kept in service after the 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge whereas many vessels were decommissioned due to the drop in demand.

She was converted to diesel power with a single direct coupled eight cylinder Crossley engine driving a fore and aft propeller.

[7] Kanangra participated in the "Great Ferry Boat Race" during the early and mid 1980s coming second in the inaugural 1980 event.

After plans to restore her as a steam powered vessel as a Bicentennial project were dropped due to high expense, she was donated to the Sydney Heritage Fleet in 1987.

She returned to Rozelle Bay on 14 April 2022, to commence the next phase in her restoration by Sydney Heritage Fleet volunteers and staff.