She is now preserved at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum near her original build site in Huskisson, New South Wales, Australia.

In common with most Sydney Harbour ferries at the time, Lady Denman and her four sisters were wooden double-ended screw steamers.

[4] The hull was launched on 5 December 1911, then floated to Sydney carrying a load of timber doubling as ballast and a commercial product.

They were relatively small and had the shape of a 'V' and shallow draft to navigate the muddy and silted upper reaches of their upstream runs.

[8] From 1900, the Balmain New Ferry Company began a period of expansion to keep up and compete with the tram network expanding into what is now referred to as Sydney's Inner West.

[10] After the cessation of the Lane Cover River runs, Lady Denman and her sisters ran services to Cockatoo Island during World War II.

In 1951, with annual patronage down to 9 million, the NSW State Government took over Sydney Ferries Limited and its remaining fleet and assets.

The services and fleet were quickly rationalised with most of the larger remaining timber K-class steamers being decommissioned, however, the five relatively small and economical "Lady-class" ferries were retained.

Their routes were expanded to all inner-harbour (ie, non-Manly) services including Taronga Park Zoo, Milsons Point, Cremorne and Hunters Hill.

In the 1960s the NSW government Transport Board updated all their ferries to a more muted cream and khaki scheme.

A 1972 fire destroyed her superstructure and she was rebuilt as the John Cadman and undertook a successful career as a cruise boat before being sold in 2000s and falling into disrepair and broken up in 1914.

She was towed to Hobart with Kosciusko in 1975 to assist following the collapse of the Tasman Bridge however she was found to be in too poor condition and was scrapped.

It was towed out of Sydney Harbour by HMAS Snipe on 3 January 1980, but was quickly damaged by rough seas and had to turn back.

The Royal Australian Navy were able to provide HMAS Tobruk to shelter the ferry and the tow was successfully completed to Jervis Bay, although at the end of the journey she nearly sank in Currambene Creek at Huskisson, opposite where she had been built.

[3] On 3 April 1983, Lady Denman was hauled ashore to its final resting place very close to where it had been built and restoration work commenced.

The dock and channel were then flooded, and with pumps operating a patched up LADY DENMAN was floated a pulled by volunteers the short distance across to its new location.

[5] The condition of the ferry was reported as good as at 2 June 1998 as a result of conservation work, arresting a long period of deterioration.

[5] MV Lady Denman was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 9 November 2001 having satisfied the following criteria.

It is also a rare surviving example of the design work of Walter Reeks, an innovative and pioneering Australian naval architect.

A rare surviving example of the design work of Walter Reeks, an innovative and pioneering Australian naval architect.

[5] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

[5] Central exhibit of LDHC, which places wooden ship building in its environment, historical and social context.

[5] The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Rare evidence of the pioneering design innovations in double ended propulsion undertaken by naval architect Walter Reeks.

Preserves construction techniques described by traditional boat builder, Alf Settree in National Trust 1997 Award-winning documentary video, 'From Trees to Seas'[5] The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.