Operating status read 6 October 2026 (department page last 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
Crossing time
~2 min
Operator
Little Ferry Services
Map – Narrung Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| All vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians | Free |
No charge applies. The department says there is no fee for the public at any of its River Murray ferries. The state pays Little Ferry Services under contract, so cars, motorbikes, cyclists and walkers all board without paying.
Narrung Ferry crosses the Narrung Narrows, which the Coorong District Council describes as the water separating Lake Albert from the larger Lake Alexandrina. The department counts it among its 12 River Murray ferries, yet it works a lake channel rather than the river. One landing is at Narrung, a small settlement at the northern end of the Narrung Peninsula, west of Meningie; the other is on the Point Malcolm side, where the council points visitors to the lighthouse and the road past Poltalloch Station, with the road west from Narrung heading to Raukkan.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport lists the vessel as the Cockatoo, registered 879-025, with room for 8 standard vehicle units and 67 people and a 42.5-tonne mass limit. Its deck is 22.8 metres long and 5.48 metres wide. The department's table, last corrected on 31 July 2025, puts average traffic at 120 vehicles a day (an annual average from February 2017), which makes this the third-quietest of the 12 department ferries; Wellington is listed at 500.
Little Ferry Services runs Narrung under one of the contracts that began on 1 November 2024. The government announced those as initial five-year terms with a five-year extension option, backed by more than $110 million over ten years for the free 24-hour ferry network, because without the extra money river communities faced shorter operating hours. The status page repeats that every ferry operates around the clock unless a temporary closure is posted.
Closures here have mostly been short and planned. A department notice from August 2021 closed the ferry from 10am to 2pm on 7 September 2021 to replace its upstream and downstream cables under the cable replacement program, naming Meningie as the alternative crossing. The status page still gives Meningie as the only alternative today, and lists no downstream or upstream ferry. The pages checked publish no wind or lake-level trigger for Narrung, although they say AHD river levels are used to judge when ferries close.
At the ramp, drive on only when the operator signals, keep to 10 km/h, apply the handbrake, and at night use parking lights so you do not dazzle the operator. The council's ferry campsite beside the crossing allows free parking for up to 72 hours.
- 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 states there is no charge for the public at any River Murray ferry. Little Ferry Services operates it under a government contract.
Day and night, with no printed timetable. The department says each ferry operates continuously unless a temporary closure is posted, so you simply drive to the ramp and wait to be directed aboard.
It crosses the Narrung Narrows between the Narrung side (Alexandrina Drive) and the Poltalloch Road side near Point Malcolm. The Coorong District Council suggests Point Malcolm Lighthouse in one direction and the road west to Raukkan in the other.
The ferry Cockatoo takes 8 standard vehicle units (a unit is one average family sedan) and 67 people, to a mass limit of 42.5 tonnes. The deck is 22.8 metres long and 5.48 metres wide.
The department's status page lists a single alternative, the road route via Meningie. It names no other ferry or bridge for Narrung.
The department's technical table gives an average of 120 vehicles a day, counted from February 2017. That is far fewer than Wellington's 500.
Coorong District Council runs the Narrung Ferry Campsite beside the crossing. It offers free parking for up to 72 hours, with toilets, bins, water, covered seating and a picnic area. Pets must be on leads.
Little Ferry Services lists 08 8542 1111 and 0457 077 741 for Narrung. The department's ferry enquiries line is 0462 069 652, open 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday except public holidays.