Operating status read on 15 October 2026 (department table updated 10.00 am, 14 October 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)
Map – Mannum Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians (both Mannum ferries) | Free |
Nothing is charged. The department's status page says the public pays no fee at any of its River Murray ferries, and that applies to both Mannum boats. Murrundi Ferry Services operates them under a state contract that began on 1 November 2024.
Mannum has two cable ferries working side by side from Ferry Road, and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport lists them as separate crossings: Mannum #1 downstream, the Water Hen, and Mannum #2 upstream, the Boobook. Both take traffic to Cowirra on Hunter Road, both are free, and neither follows a timetable.
The boats are not matched. The department's technical table gives the Water Hen a 30 metre deck, room for 12 standard vehicle units and 101 people, and a 45.5 tonne limit. The Boobook has a 22 metre deck, 8 units, 67 people and a 42.5 tonne limit. The same table puts average daily traffic, counted from February 2017, at 850 vehicles for the downstream ferry and 440 for the upstream one; 850 is the highest figure in the table. Murrundi Ferry Services runs both, along with Tailem Bend, under a contract that began on 1 November 2024.
Having two boats changes what a closure means. The status table names each ferry as the first alternative for the other, then Purnong upstream and the Murray Bridge or Swanport Bridge downstream. On 14 October 2026 it listed one planned stop: the downstream ferry on Thursday 22 October, 10 am to 2 pm, for maintenance.
The long outage came with the 2022-23 flood. The upstream ferry closed at 7 pm on 1 December 2022 and the downstream ferry at 11 pm on 11 December, expected to stay shut while flow stayed above about 130 gigalitres a day. On 28 December an SES evacuation notice closed the Burdett Road and Hunter Road junction, and the free Mannum passenger ferry service stopped at 12:30 pm. Hunter Road was later reported washed away in sections. The downstream ferry reopened at 12 pm on 21 February 2023 and the upstream ferry at 9 am on 25 February, first for local light vehicles under 3 tonnes; the downstream limit followed weight limits Mid Murray Council set on Khartoum Road at Bolto. A passenger-only boat seating 20 ran hourly between the Mannum Bowling Club and Edwin Street, Cowirra, in the meantime.
- 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's status page says there is no charge for the public at its River Murray ferries, and the Water Hen and Boobook are both on that list. Cars, bikes and people on foot all cross at no cost, and Murrundi Ferry Services, the operator, sells no ticket.
The department runs two side-by-side crossings: Mannum #1 downstream (Water Hen) and Mannum #2 upstream (Boobook). The Water Hen is the bigger boat, with 12 vehicle units and a 45.5 tonne limit against 8 units and 42.5 tonnes. The Water Hen has the higher limits; the department does not say how to choose between the two.
Around the clock, 7 days a week, unless a closure is posted. There are no departure times: the operator takes vehicles across as they arrive. The next listed stop is Thursday 22 October 2026, 10 am to 2 pm, when the downstream ferry is out for maintenance.
The Water Hen takes 12 standard vehicle units and 101 people, to 45.5 tonnes, on a 30 metre by 5.33 metre deck. The Boobook takes 8 units and 67 people, to 42.5 tonnes, on a 22 metre by 5.25 metre deck. The department lists a 5 metre crossing-width restriction at the landings of both.
If one boat is out, use the other. If both are out, the status table points upstream to the Purnong ferry or downstream to the Murray Bridge or Swanport Bridge. Check the table first: it carried a 14 October 2026 time stamp when read.
Yes. The upstream ferry shut at 7 pm on 1 December 2022 and the downstream ferry at 11 pm on 11 December. The downstream ferry reopened at 12 pm on 21 February 2023 and the upstream ferry at 9 am on 25 February, both at first for local light vehicles under 3 tonnes.
The operator, Murrundi Ferry Services, is on 8569 1839 or 0457 691 839. The department's ferry enquiries line is 0462 069 652, open 9 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday except public holidays.
Stop at the ramp and wait to be directed. The department's rules set a 10 km/h limit on the ramp and ferry, ask for the handbrake once you are in position, and ask pedestrians to wait at the top of the barrier. Emergency vehicles with beacons or sirens board first.