Harbour Hoppers could splash down on Sydney waterfront by fall

Atlantic Ambassatours Ltd. wants to operate two of its popular Harbour Hoppers on the waterfront in Sydney.

The company has applied to the Nova ScotiaUtility and Review Board to run two amphibiousvehiclesstarting in the fall.

"I think it willdefinitelybe a huge asset to our business community," said Michelle Wilson, executive directorof the Sydney Waterfront District.

'People want to bedowntown but they want a reason to come, they want to be able to do something other than shopping."

'Exciting bits' of Sydney history

Harbour Hopperguides are also known forgiving colourful versions of an area's history.

That's piqued the interest of the Old Sydney Society.

"It's just aterrifickind of thing because it provides local people with a chance to learn about their own history. It gives everyone a chance to learn the really exciting bits," society director Joyce Rankin said.

"As you travel along the harbour, you see things that you don't see from the road, and it gives you a whole different perspective."

Ambassatours expects to know by early spring if its application for a licence is approved.

"There's certainly a great upsurge of visitation predicted this year for cruise passengers in Sydney ... 50 per cent more arrivals in Sydney and that's quite an increase," said TerriMacCulloch, communications manager for Ambassatours.

"We're handling most of the cruise ship passengers who come to the region already so it gives us an opportunity to diversify the opportunities that those guests have to experience the Sydney area."

The amphibious vehicleswere built for the United States navyin the 1960s, she said.

"We're the very happy owners of about six of them in Halifax.We've completely refurbished them and created passenger comforts and completed all of the safety requirements to have them become passenger-carrying vessels."

The approval will allow the company to operate the two vehicles in Sydney in September and October.

Wilson said shehopes to see themrun all summer long at some point.