Operating pattern current as at 18 September 2026 · Services shown by frequency — exact times from the operator. · Representative services only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~3 min
Operator
Transport for NSW
Map – Berowra Waters Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| All vehicles and passengers | Free |
Nothing to pay and nothing to book. The crossing is treated as a piece of road rather than as a ferry service, so Transport for NSW funds it and drivers, riders, cyclists and walk-on passengers all cross at no charge. There is no ticket office and no online booking to miss.
Berowra Waters Ferry is a free vehicular cable ferry that Transport for NSW runs across Berowra Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River, linking Bay Road (Tourist Drive 11) with Berowra Waters Road. Like the operator's other Hawkesbury-system cable ferries – Webbs Creek, Wisemans, Sackville and Lower Portland – it is free, on demand, and closes only for a short scheduled maintenance window each month.
What sets Berowra Waters apart is the place itself. The crossing sits at the bottom of a steep, cliff-lined valley inside Berowra Valley National Park, reached only by a winding descent: Berowra Waters Road drops sharply from Berowra Heights on tight hairpin bends, while Bay Road approaches from the Galston side along Tourist Drive 11. Without the ferry, driving between the two banks would mean a long detour back out via Galston Gorge, itself a narrow, height-restricted road that is sometimes closed after heavy rain; the three-minute crossing saves that entire loop.
The village on the water is a genuine destination rather than a through-route: a small marina and houseboat community, and Berowra Waters Inn, a waterfront restaurant reachable by boat, seaplane or the ferry road, with scenic flights landing from Sydney's Rose Bay. The ferry itself carries up to 15 cars, but trucks longer than 7 metres cannot approach the ramp at all because of the road geometry on the Berowra Waters Road side – a restriction none of the other Hawkesbury ferries publish.
Operating hours are continuous, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, apart from scheduled maintenance on the second Tuesday of each month from 12pm to 2.30pm (Transport for NSW is narrowing this to 9.30am–1pm from 1 November 2026, the same new window it is applying to Webbs Creek Ferry on the other side of the Hawkesbury system). There is no fare, ticket or booking: vehicles simply queue at whichever ramp they arrive at and the ferry alternates between banks as needed.
- Arrive at the terminal a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding usually closes earlier.
- Check the operator's service alerts before travelling — weather, tides and river levels affect services.
- Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a booking is required for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Nothing. It's a free vehicular cable ferry run by Transport for NSW, so there's no fare for vehicles or foot passengers.
About 3 minutes. The crossing is roughly 250 metres across Berowra Creek.
Yes, continuously on demand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, apart from one scheduled maintenance window a month.
On the second Tuesday of every month, currently 12pm–2.30pm. From 1 November 2026, Transport for NSW is narrowing this to 9.30am–1pm.
Not if they're longer than 7 metres – the approach road on the Berowra Waters Road side can't accommodate longer vehicles.
No. Both are free Transport for NSW cable ferries on the Hawkesbury River system, but they are different crossings in different places – Berowra Waters is on Berowra Creek near the Berowra Waters Inn restaurant and marina, well away from Webbs Creek near Wisemans Ferry.
It's a small waterside village inside Berowra Valley National Park, with a marina, houseboats and the well-known Berowra Waters Inn restaurant, which some visitors reach by seaplane from Sydney.
No. It's on demand – drivers queue at either ramp and the ferry crosses when it's ready, day or night.