Monday to Friday - passenger ferry
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~18 min
Operator
SeaLink Bay Islands
Map – Macleay Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Passenger ferry, any ticket type (TransLink flat fare) | $0.50 |
| Vehicle barge: car or motorhome up to 5.4m, standard rate | $94.50 |
| Vehicle barge: car or motorhome up to 5.4m, SMBI resident rate | $37.80 |
| Vehicle barge: adult walking on as a foot passenger | $10.00 |
| Vehicle barge: child (5-14) walking on as a foot passenger | $4.00 |
| Vehicle barge: motorbike, standard rate | $35.25 |
The Macleay Island passenger ferry is charged under Queensland's flat 50-cent TransLink fare, the same for every trip regardless of distance, go card or paper ticket (confirmed live on translink.com.au on 15 September 2026; no end date has been announced for this state-wide scheme). SeaLink's vehicle barge is a separate, bookable service: every vehicle fare below is from the fare schedule effective 1 July 2026 and does not include SeaLink's temporary 3% fuel surcharge, which the operator adds on top of every vehicle fare until further notice. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
Macleay Island is the third stop on SeaLink's Redland Bay run through the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, sitting between Karragarra and Lamb on the way out to Russell Island. Two completely separate services connect it to the mainland, and mixing them up is the easiest mistake to make when planning a trip. The passenger ferry is a TransLink public transport route: walk-on only, no booking, and priced under Queensland's flat 50-cent fare that applies to every trip on the network regardless of distance or ticket type. It runs a dense weekday pattern from before 4am to nearly midnight, calling at Karragarra roughly three minutes before Macleay and Lamb a few minutes after, with a noticeably lighter Saturday and Sunday timetable that starts later in the morning. If you want to bring a car, a trailer, a motorbike or freight, that's a different SeaLink service entirely: a bookable vehicle barge departing from the same Redland Bay marina but running far fewer trips a day, priced by vehicle length rather than a flat fare, and currently carrying a temporary 3% fuel surcharge on top of every vehicle fare. Its own quirk worth knowing before you plan around it: Monday has noticeably fewer sailings than the rest of the working week, something neither operator spells out clearly on their own timetable pages. Macleay Island itself has a state school, several shops and cafes near the terminal on Brighton Road, and enough residents commuting daily that the ferry is genuinely part of the island's road network rather than a tourist novelty. Anyone moving furniture, a boat trailer or building supplies across needs the vehicle barge and a booking; anyone visiting for the day, seeing family or commuting to Brisbane just needs a go card, a paper ticket or 50 cents in coins for the passenger service. Both services are run year-round with no wet-season or school-holiday shutdowns, and Queensland's lack of daylight saving means the timetable holds steady across summer and winter alike.
- 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
The TransLink passenger ferry takes about 18 minutes from Redland Bay Marina to Macleay Island, via a short stop at Karragarra Island. SeaLink's vehicle barge, which calls at more islands and loads cars, takes closer to 45 minutes for the same crossing.
The passenger ferry is a flat 50 cents per trip under Queensland's current TransLink fare, whether you pay with a go card, a paper ticket or cash. The vehicle barge is priced separately: a standard car up to 5.4m is $94.50 one way ($37.80 for registered SMBI residents), plus a temporary 3% fuel surcharge.
Not the everyday passenger ferry - that's walk-on only. Cars, trailers, motorbikes and freight travel on SeaLink's separate vehicle barge from the same Redland Bay terminal, which needs to be booked online or by phone in advance.
On the mainland side it's Redland Bay Marina at 1 Weinam Street, Redland Bay. On Macleay Island the terminal is on Brighton Road, with two platforms serving both the passenger ferry and the vehicle barge.
No. It's a walk-on TransLink service - just tap on with a go card or buy a ticket at the terminal. Booking is only required for the SeaLink vehicle barge, especially if you're bringing a car.
On weekdays the first passenger sailing leaves Redland Bay at 3:55am (reaching Macleay at 4:13am) and the last regular sailing is 11:45pm, with one more just after midnight at 12:25am. The vehicle barge runs a shorter day, roughly 4:15am to 7:45pm ex-Redland Bay on its busiest days.
Yes. Both the passenger ferry and the vehicle barge start later and run fewer trips on Saturday and Sunday than on weekdays - the first weekend passenger sailing from Redland Bay is around 4:55am on Saturday and closer to 5:50am on Sunday.
No, and this catches a lot of people out: Tuesday to Friday it runs 16 return sailings a day, but Monday drops to only 12. Check SeaLink's live booking calendar for the exact day you're travelling rather than assuming a fixed weekday pattern.