Monday to Friday is a sample only: the weekday tables mix school-term, school-holiday and on-request runs, so just the hourly midday sailings are listed. Weekends and public holidays are the full published pattern. Checked on 6 October 2026 against the operator's timetable images and Transport for NSW's timetable (valid from 1 January 2025). · Representative services only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~5 min
Operator
Church Point Ferry Service
Map – Scotland Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, one way | $12.30 |
| Adult, return (round trip) | $20.00 |
| Adult, 13-trip ticket | $78.00 |
| Adult, 13-trip 'Green Ticket' (includes carbon-credit contribution) | $79.00 |
| Concession, one way | $6.20 |
| Concession, return | $12.00 |
| Concession, 13-trip ticket | $59.00 |
| Child over 5 years, one way | $6.20 |
| Child over 5 years, return | $12.00 |
| Child under 5 years | Free |
Fares for this private ferry are paid on board to the crew; Opal is not accepted. EFTPOS (Visa and Mastercard) and cash are taken. Children under 5 travel free, and pensioner or senior card holders who live on Scotland Island or the Western Foreshores travel free. The operator's page is headed 'Fares (2026)' yet its footnote still refers to changes from 1 January 2025, so confirm on board if a recent increase matters to you. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
Scotland Island sits in Pittwater just off Church Point, and getting there means boarding a boat run by one small private operator, the Church Point Ferry Service. Its vessels leave from Church Point Wharf on McCarrs Creek Road and run a loop rather than a simple shuttle. Each sailing calls at Bells Wharf first, then works its way past Carols, Eastern and Tennis Court wharves on the island, crosses to the Western Foreshores of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park for Halls Wharf (the landing for Morning Bay), Lovett Bay and Elvina Bay, and finishes back at Bells Wharf before returning to Church Point. That makes it a bus route as much as a ferry: the boat that drops a family on the island may carry a bushwalker round to Elvina Bay a few minutes later.
The operator says it is an essential part of the Pittwater community, and the weekday timetable shows why it looks untidy. There is a daily school run to and from Newport, newspapers are delivered to the wharves in the morning and mail in the afternoon, and several afternoon and evening stops are on request only, so you tell the ferry master where to put you down or ring ahead to be picked up. Weekends are much simpler: one loop an hour from 8:30am to 6:30pm, and the same pattern applies on public holidays.
This is not an Opal service. Transport for NSW's own timetable says Opal cannot be used, so you pay the crew on board by EFTPOS or cash, and the printed times are a snapshot that excludes disruptions and special events. The operator warns that actual times shift with wind strength and direction, tide, visibility and the number of wharves already serviced, and that the ferry master may decline to dock where it is unsafe. Be at the wharf at least five minutes early and use the flags provided at each wharf to signal the boat. If you are leaving from Lovett, Elvina or Halls wharves outside the busy periods, the operator advises ringing the ferry master first. The same company takes charters and day trips if you want an unscheduled run around Pittwater, and its site links the Transport for NSW trip planner for getting to Church Point.
- 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
An adult one-way fare is $12.30 and a return is $20.00. Concession and child (over 5) fares are $6.20 one way and $12.00 return. Children under 5 travel free. A 13-trip ticket is $78 for an adult.
The first island stop, Bells Wharf, is about 5 minutes after leaving Church Point according to the operator's tables (for example 8:30 to 8:35 at weekends). The full loop out to Elvina Bay and back to Church Point spans about 40 minutes between the published times.
Yes. Weekends and public holidays have an hourly loop leaving Church Point at 8:30am, 9:30am and so on to 6:30pm. There is also an early return leg from Bells Wharf at 8:20am arriving at Church Point at 8:25am.
No. Transport for NSW states that Opal cannot be used on this service. Pay the crew on board with EFTPOS (Visa or Mastercard) or cash. The 13-trip tickets are also bought from the operator.
Church Point Wharf is on McCarrs Creek Road, Church Point. Be there at least 5 minutes before departure. The ferry master's mobile is 0408 296 997, and the operator suggests ringing if you need pick-up from Lovett, Elvina or Halls wharves in off-peak hours.
On Scotland Island: Bells, Carols, Eastern and Tennis Court wharves. On the western shore: Halls Wharf (for Morning Bay), Lovett Bay and Elvina Bay. Some stops are on request only, marked with an asterisk or R in the weekday timetable.
No. Monday to Friday has early runs from about 6:20am, extra school-term and school-holiday trips, a mail run and evening runs, some on request. This page lists only the clearest hourly midday sailings; use the operator's PDF for a specific run.
The operator runs the weekend timetable with exceptions: the last morning ferry is the 10:30, then a break for Christmas lunch, returning at 3:30pm and running until the 5:30pm departure only.