Ferry transport in Queensland began on 1 January 1843 at Russell Street with a service across the Brisbane River.
Crossings in the Brisbane central business district and at Bulimba, Dutton Park, Indooroopilly and Moggill were needed for road transport to develop in a growing town. Before the Story and Gateway Bridges were constructed ferries transported vehicles across the river at these locations. Some of the more significant services vital to various communities, include the Daintree River Ferry, services to Thursday Island, Magnetic Island, K'gari/Fraser Island, North Stradbroke Island and other islands in Moreton Bay.
Ferry services in Queensland are regulated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Services in Brisbane, including the CityCat are operated by RiverCity Ferries under a contract with Brisbane City Council.
Department of Transport & Main Roads The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is the entity responsible for overseeing ferry services in Queensland. The TMR contracts with ferry operators and is responsible for the provision of services between:Ferries, Qconnect, Travel & Transport, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, 29 July 2011 . Retrieved 24 August 2011 Palm Island and Townsville Magnetic Island and Townsville Seisia and Thursday Island Coochiemudlo Island and Victoria Point North Stradbroke Island and Toondah Harbour Cleveland Redland Bay and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands
Brisbane City Council contracted Transdev Brisbane Ferries to operate Brisbane River ferries until 3 November 2020. About Brisbane Ferries Transdev Brisbane As from 4 November 2020, the contract is operated by RiverCity Ferries.SeaLink Travel Group Onboard As Brisbane's New Ferry Operator Sealink Travel Group 29 June 2020
Queensland Passenger Transport Legislation The legislative framework that enables the TMR to administer the statewide transport system that includes the ferry services is the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 (the act), Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2005 (the regulation) and Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Standard 2010 (the standard).Passenger Transport Legislation, Transport & Main Roads, Queensland Government, 21 March 2011 . Retrieved 11 November 2011 The TMR employ terms that are contained within the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994: a ferry can be a ship, boat, barge or hovercraft; a Public Passenger Vehicle is a vehicle used to transport members of the public and a Scheduled Passenger Service is a service — (a) conducted on a route in accordance with a timetable for the service; or (b) conducted on a route that forms a circle or loop (commonly called a 'loop service'); or (c) conducted on a continuous basis between 2 points (commonly called a 'shuttle service'); or (d) under which the vehicle used may, at the request of individual passengers, deviate from the usual route from time to time (commonly called a 'route deviation service'); or (e) under which the actual route to be traversed may vary within a corridor or zone at the request of individual passengers each time the service operates (commonly called a 'dial and ride service').Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, Queensland Government, 21 March 2011 . Retrieved 11 November 2011
Department of Transport & Main Roads Regions The TMR is divided into the following administrative regions which, where content is available, form the basis of the remaining information: Central West, Darling Downs, Far North, Fitzroy, Mackay/Whitsunday, Metropolitan, North Coast, North West, Northern, South Coast, South West and Wide Bay–Burnett.Regional Information, Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government, 21 March 2011 . Retrieved 11 November 2011Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government, 21 March 2011 . Retrieved 11 November 2011
Far North
The Daintree River Ferry is a cable ferry across the Daintree River in Lower Daintree. The ferry is the only cable ferry operating within tropical Australia and its daily hours of operation are between 05:00 and midnight. In July 2003, the Shire of Douglas overturned a motion to investigate the construction of a low-lying single lane bridge with a boom gate and a second ferry across the Daintree. Residents feared a bridge would threaten the rainforest due to a potential increase in traffic. Where as tourist operators stated a bridge would have boosted the local economy. Over the 2011 Easter long weekend, during a period when the ferry was free, tourists using the ferry dramatically increased and resorts were booked out. After Easter local tourism operators expressed a desire for the ferry to be free year-round but their suggestion was ignored. As of 1 July 2024, the cost of a return ticket for private use motor cars and utilities is $51. Limited annual quantities of Daintree ferry concessional travel policy applies to the following people: Douglas Shire Council ratepayers, residents, business operators and employees who work north of the Daintree River and are within the former Douglas Shire area; Queensland Health or Blue Care who travel across the Daintree Ferry in the course of their duties; and Residents of the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire and some Cook Shire Council residents.
Torres Strait ferry services are focused on Thursday Island. Peddell's Ferry has a service from Seisia to Thursday Island.The Journey Across, Peddell's Ferry . Retrieved 24 August 2011 Torres Strait ToursFerries, water taxis & tours, Torres Strait Tours . Retrieved 24 August 2011 and McDonald Charter BoatsMcDonald Charter Boats . Retrieved 24 August 2011 both operate ferry services between Thursday Island and Horn Island.Ferry Service, Torres Shire Council . Retrieved 24 August 2011
From Cairns, Fitzroy Island, 25 km offshore from Cairns, can be reached by Raging Thunder Ferry Services and Sunlover Reef Cruises Green Island National Park, 27 km offshore from Cairns, can be reached by Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises.About Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises . Retrieved 21 November 2011
Fitzroy Curtis Ferry Services provide a passenger ferry from Gladstone Marina to Curtis Island and Facing Island.Curtis Ferry Services . Retrieved 14 November 2011
Metropolitan Brisbane River A brief description of former passenger and vehicular ferries that serviced the Brisbane River is provided. Proceeded by details of current operational services and networks.
History & former ferries In 1838, Brisbane was opened up to free settlers, one of the biggest obstacle to its expansion at the time was the Brisbane River. In February 1842, the first real wave of settlers up the river followed the proclamation of the free settlement of Moreton Bay District. Only a fitful rowboat ferry connected North Brisbane to the more industrial settlement of Kangaroo Point, and another to South Brisbane, which became known particularly for its wayfaring inns.Linking Heritage Up, Down and Around the Brisbane River, by Dr Rod Fisher, Consultant Historian, June 2007 . Retrieved 25 August 2011 Early settlers crossing the river by row boats often had their horse swimming behind.
In 1844, a service started operating between Customs House and Kangaroo Point. . Retrieved 21 November 2011 By the 1860s, services operated from Brisbane to Kangaroo Point, Alice Street to Naval Stores and Charlotte Street to Russell Street, Brisbane. Around 1883, the first steam ferry commenced operation between Charlotte Street and Kangaroo Point. . Retrieved 21 November 2011
The early ferry services were privately run until Brisbane City Council created by-laws in 1860 governing their operation. By 1893 the council had taken control of all ferry services and leased them out to private operators. In 1925, with the merger of all the local Brisbane councils into the Brisbane City Council, all ferry services from the Moggill Ferry to the mouth of the river came under its control.
Samuel and Matthew Buckley began a row boat service in 1850. Later in 1864 John Watson commenced a vehicular ferry service with the steam paddleboat Advance. The 1893 Brisbane flood saw this transferred to the city with the loss of the Victoria Bridge, a winch and cable punt continued in its place. In 1928 the steam ferry Hetherington enter service and it carried passengers and vehicles, between Bulimba and Teneriffe until its demise in 1952.Bulimba Ferry Terminal , Queensland government heritage website, 8 December 2006 . Retrieved 18 December 2006 Bulimba village was served by a vehicular steam ferry (1886), connecting with the Newstead horse-tram service (1888) which was electrified during the late 1890s. A walk down Oxford Street to the ferry remained the sole means of convenient public transport to Brisbane until the 1930s.Bulimba, Queensland Places . Retrieved 22 August 2011
The first Dutton Park-to-St Lucia ferry service commenced operation in 1920, with John Cloherty being given a £40 annual subsidy to operate the service. The Brisbane City Council took control of the route and operated its own services from 1925 until 1931 when they resumed leasing the route to private contractors. During World War II the ferry was an important connection to the American Army facilities operating from the Forgan Smith building at the University of Queensland campus at St Lucia (the university did not relocate to the St Lucia campus until after the war). Later that ferry service was discontinued. In 1967, the Dutton Park Ferry became operational again between the University of Queensland and Dutton Park. As a prank, the University of Queensland's Student Union created a petition with approximately 4,000 signatures, largely gathered at the Regatta Hotel, and convinced Lord Mayor Clem Jones of the need for the ferry service. Upon completion of the Pamela Sue ferry the service began in March 1967. Six months after it commenced the number of passengers was well short of expectations. In 1967, the fare was 5 cents, the service had limited running hours and catered for 300 passengers a day. At its highpoint the service had two boats, a fare of $1.40, four captains, serviced 1,900 passengers per day and running hours from 06:30 until 21:55, five days a week. Over the years 3 boats serviced the crossing. The 1974 Brisbane Flood washed away landings and destroyed ferries. The Dutton Park crossing was Brisbane's only wholly privately run ferry service.Paying Tribute to the Ferry Man, UQ News, The University of Queensland, 24 October 2006 . Retrieved 26 August 2011 Its closure occurred on 17 December 2006, when the new Eleanor Schonell Bridge opened. The Pamela Sue ferry (renamed Hamilton) was sold into private ownership for use at Karragarra Island but ended up in storage at Thornlands. In 2020 the University of Queensland acquired and restored the ferry and put it on display (out of the water) at the St Lucia campus. Another of the ferries which operated the service, the Vicky-Lynn, was privately restored by a university staff member who uses it as a pleasure craft on Moreton Bay.