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Australia

154 ports

ports: 154
Operators: 45
Redland Bay to Karragarra Island: 15m
Geelong to Devonport: 11h 15m

Sydney Ferries, SeaLink North Stradbroke Island and 43 other companies sail between 154 ports in Australia. The main crossing, from Redland Bay to Karragarra Island, takes 15 minutes and runs 40 times a day; the longest within Australia, from Geelong to Devonport, takes 11¼ hours. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only. Some lines are seasonal.

Destinations in Australia

New South Wales58 ports Sydney Harbour44 ports

Northern Territory6 ports

Queensland44 ports Moreton Bay12 ports Torres Strait Islands2 ports Tropical North Queensland9 ports Whitsundays7 ports

South Australia2 ports

Tasmania20 ports

Victoria18 ports Port Phillip Bay9 ports Western Port7 ports

Western Australia6 ports

Ferry companies in Australia

Sydney Ferries

Calls at Circular Quay, Manly, Barangaroo and 34 other portsFoot passengers only

12m–1h 26m

SeaLink North Stradbroke Island

Calls at Redland Bay, Karragarra Island, Russell Island and four other portsCars on some sailings

15m–1h 10m

Pennicott Wilderness Journeys

Calls at Coles Bay, Hazards Beach, Hobart and 13 other portsFoot passengers only

30m–3h 15m

Cruise Whitsundays

Calls at Airlie Beach, Daydream Island, Hamilton Island and four other portsFoot passengers only

30m–3h 10m

Manly Fast Ferry

Calls at Circular Quay and ManlyFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

20m

Spirit of Tasmania

Calls at Geelong and DevonportCarsOvernight

11h 15m

Transperth

Calls at Perth (Barrack Street) and South PerthFoot passengers only

8m–10m

Searoad Ferries

Calls at Queenscliff and SorrentoCars

40m

Captain Cook Cruises

Calls at Circular Quay, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay and 11 other portsFoot passengers only

10m–45m

Rottnest Express

Calls at Rottnest Island, Fremantle (B-Shed), Perth (Barrack Street) and North Fremantle (Northport)Foot passengers onlyHigh speed

30m–2h

SeaLink North Queensland

Calls at Townsville (Breakwater), Magnetic Island and Palm IslandFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

20m–1h 45m

Church Point Ferry Service

Calls at Elvina Bay, Church Point, Scotland Island and three other portsFoot passengers only

5m–40m

Island Connections Northern Territory

Calls at Darwin (Cullen Bay), Mandorah, Groote Eylandt and three other portsFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

15m–3h

Amity Trader

Calls at Victoria Point and Coochiemudlo IslandCars

10m

SeaLink Rottnest Island

Calls at Rottnest Island, Fremantle (B-Shed) and Perth (Barrack Street)Foot passengers onlyHigh speed

30m–1h 45m

SeaLink Kangaroo Island

Calls at Cape Jervis and Kangaroo IslandCars

45m

Tangalooma Island Resort

Calls at Brisbane (Pinkenba) and Moreton IslandFoot passengers only

1h 15m

Brooklyn Ferry Service

Calls at Brooklyn (Hawkesbury River), Dangar Island and Little WobbyFoot passengers only

15m–30m

Magnetic Island Ferries

Calls at Townsville (Ross Street) and Magnetic IslandCars

40m

Ocean Rafting

Calls at Airlie Beach, Daydream Island, Hamilton Island and Whitehaven BeachFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

15m–1h 15m

Wildlife Coast Cruises

Calls at Port Welshpool, Refuge Cove, Phillip Island and four other portsFoot passengers only

25m–4h

Mantaray Barges

Calls at Inskip Point and Hook Point (K'gari)Cars

10m

Moreton Island Adventures

Calls at Brisbane (Port of Brisbane) and Moreton IslandCars

1h 30m

Fantasea Cruising

Calls at Circular Quay, Taronga Zoo and Darling HarbourFoot passengers only

15m–35m

Big Cat Green Island

Calls at Cairns, Green Island and Fitzroy IslandFoot passengers only

45m–3h 45m

Western Port Ferries

Calls at Stony Point, French Island and Phillip IslandFoot passengers only

15m–40m

The Original Tea Gardens Ferry

Calls at Nelson Bay and Tea GardensFoot passengers only

Clarence River Ferries

Calls at Iluka, Yamba and HarwoodFoot passengers only

30m–1h 30m

Port Phillip Ferries

Calls at Melbourne Docklands, Portarlington and Geelong WaterfrontFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

1h 10m–2h 10m

Great Adventures

Calls at Cairns, Green Island and Moore ReefFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

45m–2h

Keppel Ferry Co

Calls at Rosslyn Bay and Great Keppel IslandFoot passengers only

35m

Fitzroy Flyer

Calls at Cairns and Fitzroy IslandFoot passengers only

45m

Lady Musgrave Experience

Calls at Bundaberg and Lady Musgrave IslandFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

2h 15m

Rottnest Fast Ferries

Calls at Hillarys and Rottnest IslandFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

45m

Curtis Ferry Services

Calls at Curtis Island, Gladstone and Facing IslandCars

55m

Encounter Maria Island

Calls at Triabunna and Maria IslandFoot passengers only

30m

Ocean Free

Calls at Cairns and Green IslandFoot passengers only

Palm Island Barge Company

Calls at Lucinda and Palm IslandCars

2h 30m–2h 45m

Wavelength Reef Cruises

Calls at Port Douglas and Opal ReefFoot passengers only

1h 30m

Ocean Freedom

Calls at Cairns and Upolu CayFoot passengers only

1h 15m

Peddell's Ferry

Calls at Thursday Island and SeisiaFoot passengers only

1h 10m

St Kilda Ferry

Calls at Williamstown, St Kilda (Melbourne) and Port MelbourneFoot passengers only

28m–58m

Keppel Konnections

Calls at Rosslyn Bay and Great Keppel IslandFoot passengers only

30m

Dunk Island Ferry

Calls at Mission Beach and Dunk IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

20m

World Heritage Cruises

Calls at Strahan, Sarah Island and Gordon RiverFoot passengers onlySeasonal

Questions

Which ferry companies sail in Australia?

Sydney Ferries: Circular Quay, Manly, Barangaroo and 34 other ports. SeaLink North Stradbroke Island: Redland Bay, Karragarra Island, Russell Island, Cleveland (Toondah Harbour), North Stradbroke Island, Lamb Island and Macleay Island. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys: Coles Bay, Hazards Beach, Hobart and 13 other ports. Cruise Whitsundays: Airlie Beach, Daydream Island, Hamilton Island, Whitehaven Beach, Hardy Reef, Shute Harbour and Hamilton Island Airport. Manly Fast Ferry: Circular Quay and Manly. Spirit of Tasmania: Geelong and Devonport. Transperth: Perth (Barrack Street) and South Perth. Searoad Ferries: Queenscliff and Sorrento. And 37 other companies.

Can I take my car on a ferry in Australia?

Partly. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only.

Do ferries in Australia run all year?

Yes. Sydney Ferries, SeaLink North Stradbroke Island and 41 other companies sail all year round; some lines are seasonal.