The Daintree Ferry is OPEN & welcoming visitors to Daintree & Cape Tribulation

Council has extended multi-day passes that were due to expire to December 31 this year.

The Daintree River Ferry is a cable ferry that crosses the famous Daintree River. It provides sealed-road access to the northern section of the Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation and allows people to travel onwards to Cape York via the Bloomfield Track. It is the only cable ferry operating within tropical Australia and is situated some 50 kilometres north of Port Douglas.

The ferry is is operated by a commercial contractor on behalf of the Douglas Shire Council. It carries a maximum of 27 vehicles and takes about five minutes to cross the river.

The Daintree Ferry operates continuously between 5am and midnight, daily.

Fees for travel on the Daintree ferry are outlined in Daintree Ferry Fees 2020-2021

Operating Hours

Operates continuously between 5am & midnight, daily
There is a priority lane for locals & this operates between 9am & 4:30pm during peak season.

Fees & Charges

Fees for travel on the Daintree ferry are outlined in Daintree Ferry Fees 2020-2021 above.
EFTPOS is available at all hours.

Travel Tip

During the peak tourist season there are often delays crossing the ferry. Particularly between 10am and noon travelling north and between 3pm to 5pm travelling south.

If you want to avoid the queues, plan to travel before 10am and spend the whole day exploring the rainforest and beaches, have dinner at one of the many restaurants and travel back in the evening. The ferry operates right up until midnight.

Douglas Card – Free Daintree ferry travel for FNQ locals

Douglas Shire Council offers residents from Cardwell to Cooktown, including the Atherton Tablelands, free travel on the Daintree Ferry from November 1 until  the end of February annually with a free “Douglas Card”.

This includes the following Council areas:

  • Douglas Shire Council , Mareeba Shire Council, Cairns Regional Council, Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, Tablelands Regional Council,  Cook Shire Council, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council, Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council and Cassowary Coast Regional Council

The card also provides discounts to local attractions including two free adult tickets for the Mossman Gorge shuttle bus.

Use of the Douglas Card is restricted to fare categories Motor Car and Utilities (private use), Pedestrians and Bicycles and Motor Bikes.

To obtain a free Douglas Card, applicants need to provide photographic identification and additional proof of residency with their application to confirm local status at any one of the above local government areas. You can apply online below or download an application form here.

Terms & Conditions

The following terms and conditions of the Douglas Card are:

  • Residents of the Douglas Shire Council, Mareeba Shire Council, Cairns Regional Council, Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council, Tablelands Regional Council,Cook Shire Council, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council, Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council and Cassowary Coast Regional Council Local Government Areas are eligible to apply. Proof of identification and residency is required for all applications.
  •  If you are mailing your application you will need to include:-
    • a photocopy of the front and back of your driver’s licence as proof of identity and residency (copy of both sides of licence required),if your licence does not list your residence as being in the above local government areas, you will also need to send
    • a photocopy that verifies your local residency of either:- 1) a rates notice, 2) phone or 3) electricity bill.
    • Applications via the free reply paid post are to be addressed on a standard envelope as follows: Douglas Shire Council, R eply Paid 86176, Mossman QLD487
  • Failure to provide required information deems your application ineligible.
  • The Douglas Card will entitle the holder to free travel on the Daintree River Ferry for the following fare categories only: Motor Car & Utilities (private use), Passenger, Bicycle& Pedestrian and Motor Bike.
  • This free travel incentive will only be available for the period 1st November to 28/29th February inclusive.
  • The card must be presented to the Daintree River Ferry staff prior to or at the time of travel on the ferry.
  • Failure to present the card at the time of travel will result in full relevant fare to be paid to travel on the ferry.

In obtaining the card an undertaking is given to participate in any surveys to enable Douglas Shire Council to obtain travel associated data.

Douglas Card Online Application

  • Applicant Details

    For all applications, you must: 1) Complete the form 2) Complete any other forms relevant to your application; 3) Provide any mandatory supporting information identified on the form as being required to accompany your application. **Failure to provide required information deems your application ineligible.
  • *PLEASE NOTE: postal delivery may take ten (10) business days. If you need the card in a shorter time frame, please pick it up from Mossman Admin Building between 8.30am to 4.30pm on Monday to Friday.
  • *Failure to provide required information deems your application ineligible.
  • *Failure to provide required information deems your application ineligible.
  • This could be: 1) Rates notice 2) Phone or 3) Electricity Bill

  • Declaration

    To the Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Shire Council, I hereby acknowledge the above terms and conditions and agree to abide by the below terms and conditions.

PLEASE NOTE – Those filling out a hard copy of the form must lodge or mail their completed form to the Douglas Shire Council office in Mossman only.

Daintree Ferry Contract Renewal – July 2021

In April 2020, Douglas Shire Council resolved to temporarily suspend the Daintree River Ferry contract negotiations and explore the option of a bridge crossing at various locations along the river, as well as identify the possible economic benefits to the region.

The public consultation will seek feedback on a bridge option alongside details of costs of the proposed two-ferry solution.

For the latest announcements and updates, visit the Daintree Ferry Contract Renewal Community Engagement Page

Daintree Ferry Concessional Travel

Council provides concessional travel on the Daintree River Ferry to all persons who fulfil the eligibility criteria, subject to the terms and conditions of the Daintree River Ferry Concessional Travel Policy being adhered to.

Concessional travel cards cost $18 for residents and ratepayers of the Douglas Shire or $41 for residents of Wujal Wujal and residents and ratepayers of the Cook Shire bounded by the Bloomfield River and the Black Mountain turn-off.

Application forms for a concessional travel card are available from Council’s Mossman Administration Building, the Mossman Library, the Port Douglas library kiosk or you can download a form, here. A Visitor Tickets book of 55 is also available to concessional travel card holders for $18.

Concessional travel cards are valid until April 30, 2021, and are available from Council’s Mossman Administration Building, 64-66 Front St, Mossman.

Statistics 

Council has been collecting data on the usage of the Daintree Ferry since 2004. Below you’ll find graphs depicting total annual ticket sales of one-way and return traffic for the two most popular vehicle types using the ferry.

Council also records data for a variety of other vehicle types, concessional travel and multi-day tickets.

Latest monthly statistics available, here

Additional Information

All aspects of operating the ferry are the responsibility of the contractor, including the ferry driver, traffic controllers to load and unload vehicles, and staffing of the ticket booths.

Ferry fees and charges are set by Douglas Shire Council each year and the revenue collected goes to Council.

Douglas Shire Council is responsible for maintaining the channel across the river to accommodate the ferry.

Dredging of the channel is done under a permit from Department of Environment and Science.