What are the most useful ferries in Australia?

The most useful ferries in Australia include the Manly ferry and Parramatta ferry on Sydney Harbour, the Rottnest Express from Perth and the Daintree River ferry in far north Queensland.

There are several ferry services in Australia, some utterly functional and some doubling up as scenic cruises. Whether getting from A to B or enjoying the ride, these are some of the most useful ferries in Australia.

Ferries in New South Wales

Sydney Ferries: The Sydney ferries are an integral part of the city’s public transport network. Popular options include taking the Taronga Zoo ferry crossing Sydney Harbour to Taronga Zoo. Ferries go to Cockatoo Island as well, while you can also hop aboard the Watsons Bay ferry and the Parramatta ferry. Once in Parramatta, check out Elizabeth Farm, which has a claim to being the oldest building in Australia. The classic ferry ride is the half hour Circular Quay to Manly ferry ride. Once in Manly, take a tour of the Sydney Quarantine Station, one of the most impressive heritage buildings in Sydney.

Other Sydney Harbour ferries include the Double Bay Ferry, Cremorne Point ferry, Mosman Bay ferry, Sydney Olympic Park ferry, Shark Island ferry and Balmain ferry.

You can also take the North Sydney ferry via Kurraba Point or the private Watsons Bay to Manly ferry.

The Kissing Point Ferry, Cabarita Ferry and Meadowbank Ferry go along the Parramatta River.

There’s also a ferry connecting Sydney to the Central Coast – it goes from Palm Beach to Patonga Beach. The oldest ferry service in New South Wales, however, is from Wisemans Ferry to the Dharug National Park across the Hawkesbury River. The Dangar Island ferry service from Brooklyn services the Hawkesbury nearby. Elsewhere on the Hawkesbury, the Sackville Ferry and Webbs Creek Ferry offer free vehicle crossings in a similar manner to the Mortlake Ferry over the Parramatta River.

You can get from Cronulla to the Royal National Park on the Bundeena ferry, while services such as the Scotland Island ferry and Mackerel Beach ferry cross Pittwater.

Elsewhere in the state, the Tea Gardens ferry crosses Port Stephens from Nelson Bay while the Stockton Ferry crosses the Hunter River in Newcastle. Further north, the Iluka to Yamba ferry crosses the Clarence River and the Burns Point Ferry crosses the Richmond River into Ballina.

Northern Territory ferries

Tiwi Islands ferry: Connecting Darwin to Bathurst Island, the Tiwi Islands ferry is a popular option for cultural tourists wanting to meet Indigenous artists.

Ferries in Australia: Queensland

Brisbane ferries: Ferries criss-cross along the Brisbane River, connecting top spots such as Kangaroo Point, Southbank and the City Botanic Gardens. Go all the way to Northshore and you can eat and drink at the Eat Street shipping container complex. A free ferry service operates between seven central stops.

The Moreton Bay ferries: Several ferry services operate across Moreton Bay from suburban Brisbane. These include the Stradbroke ferries to North Stradbroke Island, the Moreton Island Micat or Tangalooma ferry to Moreton Island and the Russell Island ferry.

The Fraser Island ferry from Hervey Bay: Two Fraser Island ferries depart from River Heads, just south of Hervey Bay. One goes to Wanggoolba Creek, the other to the Kingfisher Bay Resort. Several 4WD tagalong tours use these ferries, but independent 4WDs with permits can head over too. Highlights once on the world’s largest sand island include Lake McKenzie, Central Station and the Maheno Shipwreck. An alternative Fraser Island barge service departs from Rainbow Beach.

The Magnetic Island ferry from Townsville: It takes around 40 minutes to get to the Queensland holiday island, where you can spot Magnetic Island koalas on inland walks. Magnetic Island also offers fab snorkelling once you’re there. The Palm Island ferry also leaves from Townsville.

The Daintree River ferry in far north Queensland: Daintree River crocodile cruises are available, but the cable ferry is an essential part of the drive from Cairns to Cape Tribulation. Look out for cassowaries on the way to Cape Tribulation, from where small group snorkelling cruises depart for the Great Barrier Reef.

The Hamilton Island ferry: There are direct flights to Hamilton Island, the most developed of the Whitsundays, but you can take the ferry from Airlie Beach to Hamilton Island instead.

The Heron Island ferry: The Heron Islander takes guests from Gladstone to Heron Island.

The Fitzroy Island ferry: The Fitzroy Flyer runs Fitzroy Island day trips as well as transferring guests to the Fitzroy Island Resort.

The Green Island ferry: Great Adventures runs a ferry from Cairns to Green Island twice a day. It takes around 50 minutes.

The Great Keppel Island ferry: Keppel Konnections runs a ferry from Rosslyn Bay near Yeppoon to Great Keppel Island three times a day.

The Moggill Ferry: Run by Sealink SEQ, this cable ferry crosses the Brisbane River between Moggill and Riverview.

The Jardine River Ferry: The only safe crossing over the Jardine River to the far north of Cape York.

The Gold Coast Hopo: This hop-on, hop-off ferry service connects Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Southport on the Gold Coast.

Ferries in South Australia

The Wallaroo ferry: The Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula are connected by the Spencer Gulf Searoad ferry. It takes around two-and-a-half hours to travel between Wallaroo on the Copper Coast and Lucky Bay near Cowell.

The Kangaroo Island ferry: There’s no road link to wildlife-packed kangaroo island, so this ferry service from Cape Jervis at the bottom of the Fleurieu Peninsula plugs the gap. Kangaroo Island Connect offers a rival, cheaper, but foot passenger only service.

The Murray River ferries: There are also several cable ferries crossing the Murray River in towns that don’t have bridges. These include the Mannum ferry, Wellington ferry and Tailem Bend ferry.

Ferries in Tasmania

The Maria Island ferry: The Maria Island ferry connects Triabunna on Tasmania’s east coast to Maria Island, home of convict sites and many, many wombats.

The Bruny Island ferry: Kettering is the gateway to the wildlife and walks of Bruny Island. The Sealink Bruny Island crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Other ferries in Tasmania include the Mona Ferry in Hobart.

Ferries in Victoria

The Spirit of Tasmania: The ferry from Port Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania allows you to get to Australia’s smallest state without flying. Rent a car in Devonport to explore Tasmania once off the ferry.

The Queenscliff ferry: The Searoad Ferries service from Sorrento to Queenscliff connects the Mornington Peninsula to the Bellarine Peninsula. This is handy if you want to skip three hours of driving back through Melbourne on the way to the Great Ocean Road.

The Portarlington ferry: Want to visit the Bellarine Peninsula wineries, such as Jack Rabbit and Terindah Estate, from Melbourne? Well this short hop to Portarlington will take you there.

The French Island ferry: Operated by Western Port Ferries, the French Island ferry connects Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula with koala-packed French Island. The same company operates the ferries from Stony Point to Phillip Island and Phillip Island to French Island.

The Raymond Island ferry: This short ferry service makes the crossing from Paynesville to koala hotspot Raymond Island on the Gippsland Lakes.

Ferries in Australia: Western Australia

The Little Ferry Company in Perth: This small operation flits around the Swan River in teeny solar-powered boats. They leave from Elizabeth Quay. It’s an alternative to the South Perth ferry, which crosses the Swan River to Elizabeth Quay.

The Rottnest Island ferry from Perth or Fremantle: Hop on the Rottnest Express to Rottnest Island for the best day trip from Perth. Once at Australia’s quokka island, cycle around, look for quokkas and take a spot on an Indian Ocean beach. Rottnest Island skydives are available, but cars are banned.