She spent time in Hobart as a floating restaurant and, in 2000, she was taken to Cairns where she remains grounded and in deteriorating condition.

However, a double-ended screw configuration was particularly difficult for the fine bows that Manly ferries required for both speed and heavy seas.

In the prosperous early twentieth century, this speed drawback was overcome by increasing engine size and power.

The Binngarra-class ferries, Binngarra (1905), Burra-Bra (1908), Bellubera (1910), Balgowlah (1912), Barrenjoey (1913) and Baragoola (1922), were designed by Mort's Dock and Engineering, initially under the guidance of former chief draughtsman Andrew Christie.

Following Bellubera's success (she was bigger and faster than the preceding Binngarra and Burra-Bra), in 1911 the Company placed an order for two new vessels, Balgowlah and Barrenjoey, which were largely the same design.

The three vessels all had riveted steel hulls with single screws at either end, and steam steering equipment.

The ladies' cabin was located at the aft end of the main deck, while the crew spaces were placed on a flat forward of the boiler room.

Her sea trials were run on 17 September 1913 from near Long Nose Point to the Sow and Pigs and back.

The new steamer was placed in service on 20 September 1913, at which time the company's capacity was sufficient and Baragoola wasn't delivered until 1922.

In line with regulations requiring improved crew accommodation, facilities were progressively removed from the poorly ventilated spaces below the main deck.

In the 1940s additional cabins were added to the wheelhouses for the entire crews, which affected the vessels' stability and resulted in reduced passenger capacities from the 1950s.

[1] In August 1930, Barrenjoey had much of her open upper deck enclosed with reversible and upholstered seating provided, making the vessels more suitable for the heavy business traffic, and was of benefit to the travelling public during the colder months and at night.

Upgrades to Bellubera and Baragoola in future years were much more modest in scope retaining their original hull shape and timber superstructures.

[2][3][4] North Head and Baragoola were included in the sale of the Manly ferry business to Brambles in April 1972 (South Steyne was not).

However, after the venture failed, the ship rotted in a Cairns dock until 2005, when it was sold on eBay to a landscape contractor, who dug a pit and put it in his front yard.

Over her 73 years as a Sydney Harbour ferry, Barrenjoey/North Head had her fair share of largely minor collisions and other incidents:[2]