Rosman Ferries was founded by Charles Rosman in 1916, when he launched a ferry service between Balmain, North Sydney and Garden Island carrying dockyard workers to the Royal Australian Navy base.
The spectator ferries were periodically raided by the Gaming Squad on suspicion of harbouring illegal gambling activities.
[2] In February 1938, the Rosman ferry Rodney capsized and sank with the loss of 19 lives whilst on a charter to farewell the USS Louisville from Sydney Harbour.
[2] Rodney was refloated, repaired, renamed, and relaunched as Regalia and she remained running routes on the harbour right into the 1980s.
[1] In 1987, Rosman retired and sold the business to Steve and Frank Matthews and Ross and Neva Williams.