Operating status read 28 September 2026 (Department table updated 17 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
Operator
Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA), operated by Kingfisher Ferry Services
Map – Lyrup Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| All vehicles and pedestrians | Free |
The crossing costs nothing. State policy, as stated on the Department's status page, is that the public is not charged for River Murray ferry services, and the operator is paid by government rather than by passengers. There is no cash box, card reader or ticket at the ramp.
Lyrup is a river settlement with no bridge of its own. The Lyrup ferry ties it to the road on the Monash side of the Murray, where the landing sits on Lyrup Road, while the village landing is on Wilson Parade. The Department for Infrastructure and Transport's status table gives Paringa Bridge upstream and Kingston Bridge downstream as the nearest fixed crossings, so when the cable ferry stops, the detour is long.
The village itself dates from 1894, when the South Australian government founded it as one of twelve village settlements run on a communal land system; it was gazetted in 1896 and takes its name from a boundary rider's hut. It counted 346 residents at the 2021 census and sits in Renmark Paringa Council country, among vine, citrus, almond and stone-fruit blocks.
The ferry is numbered 873-024 and named Kingfisher in the Department's technical table. It is a smaller boat than the ones at Swan Reach or Waikerie: 8 standard-car units and 67 people, on a roadway 22.3 metres long and 5.9 metres between kerbs, with a 5-metre limit imposed by the landings. Its vehicle mass limit, 45.5 tonnes, is actually higher than Swan Reach's 42.5. The February 2017 count averaged about 380 vehicles a day. On 21 December 2021 the Department announced that the refurbished ferry number 24 was back at Lyrup, fitted with a hydraulic start system that shuts the engine down when the boat is idle, solar-charged lithium batteries and video cameras for passenger and staff safety. Kingfisher Ferry Services holds the operating contract, alongside Morgan and Waikerie.
Lyrup was among the earliest River Murray ferries withdrawn in the 2022 flood. The Department closed it from 7pm on 30 November 2022, a few days ahead of Swan Reach and Morgan, expecting it to stay shut while flow remained above 120 gigalitres a day, and it resumed at midday on 25 January 2023, after 56 days. On board, the state rules ask drivers to supervise children, keep clear of the operator's walkway and machinery, and give their name, address and gross vehicle mass if the operator requests them.
- 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
Yes. The Department for Infrastructure and Transport charges the public nothing to use its River Murray ferries. Lyrup has no fare, no ticket and no booking; you drive to the landing and wait for the operator's signal.
It is meant to be. The Department describes every River Murray crossing as staffed day and night unless a temporary closure is posted. When the table was read on 28 September 2026 (updated 17 September), Lyrup showed as currently operational with no closure or restriction.
45.5 tonnes per vehicle combination, on a roadway 22.3 metres long and 5.9 metres between kerbs, with a 5-metre width restriction at the landings. The ferry Kingfisher carries 8 standard-car units and 67 people.
The Department shut it from 7pm on 30 November 2022, ahead of Swan Reach and Morgan, and reopened it at midday on 25 January 2023. The notice said it would stay closed while flow was above 120 GL/day.
One landing is at the end of Wilson Parade in the Lyrup village settlement; the other is on Lyrup Road on the Monash side of the river.
The Department's status table lists Paringa Bridge upstream and Kingston Bridge downstream as the alternative crossings.
Kingfisher Ferry Services runs it under contract to the state. Its Lyrup numbers are 08 8583 8278 and 0439 461 401. The Department's enquiry line is 0462 069 652 (9:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday, not public holidays).
Speed limit 10 km/h on ramp and deck, wait for the operator before driving on, handbrake on once positioned, supervise children, and use parking lights only after dark. Pedestrians wait at the top of the barrier until directed.