The last of a new fleet of Sydney Harbour ferries will be christened Ferry McFerryface – residents’ second most popular choice after the now famous Boaty McBoatface.
Officials overruled the trend-setting favourite name that was also rejected by British officials last year as the name of a new polar survey vessel, New South Wales minister for transport and infrastructure Andrew Constance said.
The British vessel was ultimately christened Sir David Attenborough in honour of the naturalist and broadcaster, although one of its remotely operated submarines was named Boaty McBoatface.
“Given Boaty was already taken by another vessel, we’ve gone with the next most popular name nominated by Sydneysiders,” Constance said in a statement.
“Ferry McFerryface will be the harbour’s newest icon and I hope it brings a smile to the faces of visitors and locals alike,” he added.
Ferry McFerryface joins the ranks of Trainy McTrainface, a Swedish express train, and Horsey McHorseface, a Sydney racehorse, after an international online trend started by a suggestion from a former BBC radio host.
Sydney residents have been encouraged for the past year to name the six new ferries through the Name Your Ferry website and more than 15,000 responded.
The remainder have been named after prominent Sydney Aborigines Bungaree and Pemulwuy and Australian medical doctors Victor Chan, Catherine Hamlin and Fred Hollows.
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