It's hard to visualise and comprehend how important the rivers were to life in the 19th and most of the 20th centuries; they were the source of all trade, communication and travel.
The River and Harbour Work Act of the late 1800's saw the construction of the Rileys Hill Dry Dock to ensure that the river trade had a facility for the repair of the hulls of ships, boats and ferries on the Richmond River. The dry dock was cut into the hard rock of Rileys Hill.
One of the last ships to be repaired was the famous Manly ferry, SS South Steyne. These days it is permanently moored in Sydney's Darling Harbour.