The popular CityCat service is operated by catamarans. Services began in 1996 with 6 vessels, each capable of carrying 150 passengers, with two further vessels being added to the CityCat fleet in 1998 due to increased demand. The service carried approximately 2.88 million passengers in 2004. The system is particularly appealing to tourists as it is a pleasant way to travel past such Brisbane icons as the Story Bridge and South Bank Parklands.
Two further catamarans of a new design, capable of carrying 12 more passengers, have since been added to the fleet. In 2005 refurbishment of the first generation CityCats began and this is expected to take 18 months. Refurbished CityCats have more comfortable internal seating, with space set aside for parking 12 passengers' bikes, a plasma screen mounted inside to show advertisements, larger onboard toilet facilities and more and better padded seating available outside, especially in the forward seating area.
[A tender] has recently been released for the supply of the next three CityCats. The boats are to be of the same configuration as the current second generation 'Cats.
The CityCats are named after the Aboriginal place names for various parts of the Brisbane River and adjacent areas. The English name is given in brackets, with the launch date.
First generation
Kurilpa (West End) - launched November 1996
Mirbarpa (Indooroopilly) - launched November 1996
Barrambin (Breakfast Creek) - launched November 1996
Tugulawa (Brisbane River at Bulimba) - launched November 1996
Mianjin (Gardens Point) - launched December 1996
Binkinba (New Farm) - launched December 1996
Mooroolbin (Hamilton Sandbank) - launched October 1998
Baneraba (Toowong) - launched December 1998
Second generation
Beenung-urrung (Highgate Hill) - launched August 2004
