TransPerth Ferry

Article by: Jay
Last updated: Tuesday, 11-Jul-2006 00:00:00 CEST

The Transperth ferry operates between the Barrack St Jetty in Perth and Mends St Jetty in South Perth. The ferry operates on two timetables, the winter timetable which operates between May and August the summer timetable, which operates between September and April.

Using The Transperth Ferry

There are a variety of destinations accessible from the Barrack Street Jetty in Perth. Whether it’s a short trip across the river to South Perth and a visit to the zoo, a Swan River Cruise taking in the wonderful coastline from the river view or a journey to Rottnest Island. The Barrack Street Jetty is located centrally making it easy to find and easy to reach from all corners of the city.

There are plenty of cafes and restaurants should you chose to soak up the riverside atmosphere and with ferries running every 15 minutes to half and hour you can pick and chose how to while away your day.

The ferry service is also used by daily commuters travelling from South Perth and beyond to Perth City; what a wonderful relaxing way to start your day on the tranquil waters of the Swan River!

South Perth Esplanade

The ferry is a great way to visit the various restaurants, bars, pubs and retail outlets along the South Perth Esplanade just minutes away from the Mends St Jetty. Visit the Perth Zoo

Visit Perth Zoo to experience exotic and Australian animals in naturalistic settings within lush garden surrounds. Perth Zoo is only five minutes walk from Mends St Jetty and is open 9am to 5pm daily.

Stop at the Old Mill

Stop at the Old Mill and discover the history of one of Perth’s oldest historic landmarks. Dine at one of the fine restaurants along the South Perth foreshore overlooking the river or you can spend a day on the foreshore and enjoy a barbeque in the park with your friends.

Visit the Swan Bells

Visit the Swan Bells at Barrack Square and admire the landmark built to celebrate the Australian Bicentennial. From here the Blue Central Area Transit (CAT) services depart from Barrack St Jetty and can connect you to many other locations around Perth for free.

Ferry Services in the Perth Metropolitan Area

There are two ferries which make 80 trips each weekday. The contract to operate these services for Transperth is held by Captain Cook Cruises. There were more than 460,000 total ferry boardings during the 2004/05 financial year.

For further information phone: 13 62 13 or contact transperth on the Transperth website where timetabling information for trains, buses and ferries across the Swan River are available.

Ferry History

Ferry services on the Swan River began in 1829, two years after the colony was settled. This service ran between Fremantle and Guildford once a month Using whale boats. For the early settlers river travel was comparatively fast and more comfortable than the rough bush tracks that ran along the rivers edge.

In 1897, a channel was dredged between Barrack Street Jetty and Mends Street and by 1898 there was a regular service between these two points. Today the trip is swift and comfortable giving easy access between the foreshore and the city.