Palm Beach Ferry From Ettalong: Timetable, 2026 Fares And A Day Trip Guide

The Palm Beach Ferry At A Glance

The ferry that locals call the Ettalong ferry or the Palm Beach ferry is one route with three stops: Palm Beach Wharf on Pittwater, Wagstaffe Wharf at the end of Mulhall Street, and Ettalong Wharf on Ferry Road. Fantasea Palm Beach Ferries runs it every day of the year, with a reduced timetable on Christmas Day. It links the Central Coast with Sydney's Northern Beaches across Broken Bay, and it carries passengers only. There is no car ferry, so drivers leave the car on the Coast side.

The operator puts the crossing at about 30 minutes. Its service page breaks that down as roughly 20 minutes from Palm Beach to Wagstaffe, 10 minutes from Wagstaffe to Ettalong and 25 minutes on a direct run from Ettalong back to Palm Beach. Arrival times can slip by five to ten minutes around low tide, when the boats slow down in the shallow Ettalong Channel.

Palm Beach Ferry Timetable: Daily And Weekday Departures

The regular timetable on the operator's site has two layers. Departures marked Daily run every day, including public holidays. The extra early-morning departures marked Weekdays run on normal business days only. Boats alternate between calling at Wagstaffe on the way to Ettalong and on the way back, so check which run stops where if you are boarding at Wagstaffe.

Read it as a loop: a boat leaves Palm Beach, drops at Ettalong about 20 to 30 minutes later, then turns round for Palm Beach. On weekends and public holidays the first boat you can catch from Ettalong is the 9:30am, and the last boat back to Ettalong leaves Palm Beach at 6pm. The 6:20pm from Ettalong is a one-way trip for the evening: there is no later boat back to the Coast that night.

Times as shown on the Palm Beach Ferries timetables page on 26 October 2026. Christmas Day (25 December) runs a separate, shorter timetable, and a diversion timetable applies in bad weather.

Ettalong To Palm Beach Ferry Fares For 2026

Fares rose on 1 January 2026. The operator says Transport for NSW increased one-way fares in line with a recommendation from IPART, the state's independent pricing tribunal. Every ordinary fare is a single trip, bought on board. There is no return ticket on the Ettalong route, so a day trip costs two singles.

Fares are bought on board at departure. The operator's terms say you must pay by debit card, credit card or a contactless method, that cash is not accepted, and that smartcards, "including Opal and FantaSea Smartcards, are not accepted". The concession fare only applies with an Australian seniors, pensioner or student card, so visitors without one pay the adult fare.

Older pages on the same website still list a $3.00 bicycle charge. The 2026 fare table lists $4.10, so budget for that. All fares from palmbeachferries.com.au, checked 26 October 2026.

What A Day Across Costs: A Worked Example

Because every ticket is a single, the cost of a day out is easy to work out. Here is what four common groups would pay for a return trip from Ettalong to Palm Beach at 2026 fares.

Adding The Basin: when the Hopper pass makes sense

If you want to carry on from Palm Beach to The Basin or Mackerel Beach, single tickets add up quickly. The same family of four paying singles to The Basin and back would spend another $64.80 (2 x $10.80 + 2 x $5.40, both ways), so $155.40 for the whole day. The operator's destination pages list a 24-hour Palm Beach Hopper family pass (two adults and two children) at $106, covering both of its ferry routes. That would save the family $49.40 on this plan.

One caution: on 26 October 2026 the operator's destination pages showed the 24-hour adult Hopper at $40 while its Hopper booking page showed "from A$44". Check the price at checkout. For one adult the two-route day costs $51.80 in singles, so the Hopper still saves money either way.

Getting To Ettalong Wharf From Daleys Point

Ettalong Wharf sits on Ferry Road, Ettalong Beach. From Carinya Coastal Escapes the listing puts it about a five-minute drive away, which makes the 9:30am boat an easy start even after a slow breakfast on the balcony.

Parking at Ettalong

The operator's FAQ says parking on Ferry Road is limited to a maximum of two hours on weekends, and points ferry users to Ocean View Road instead. Two hours is not long enough for a Palm Beach day, so on a Saturday or Sunday either park in an unrestricted street and walk, or have one driver drop the group on Ferry Road and then park without time pressure. Read the signs on the day, as restrictions can change, and be on the wharf 10 minutes before departure, as the operator asks.

Wagstaffe Wharf: The Quieter Stop On The Peninsula

Wagstaffe Wharf, at the end of Mulhall Street, is the ferry's first stop on the Central Coast side. The operator describes Wagstaffe as a quiet waterside village where "the surf beach is just a short stroll over the hill", which is Killcare Beach. It also warns that there is only a limited bus service from Wagstaffe, so arrange a lift if you are arriving on foot.

For Daleys Point guests Wagstaffe has two uses. First, if you plan to spend the afternoon at Killcare, Hardys Bay or the Bouddi beaches, you can come back from Palm Beach to Wagstaffe and be collected there. Second, the short "Hop" between Wagstaffe and Ettalong costs $3.60 for everyone, which is a cheap ten-minute boat ride for kids who just want to be on the water.

For more on the beaches either side of the wharf, see our guide to beaches near Daleys Point.

Is The Ettalong Ferry Running? Weather, Tides And Patonga Diversions

A common worry about this ferry is whether it will run. The honest answer is that it usually does, but the Ettalong Channel at the mouth of Brisbane Water is shallow and sand builds up. When it gets too shallow, or when a big swell is forecast, the operator switches to a diversion timetable that runs to Patonga instead of Ettalong and Wagstaffe.

Transport for NSW has dredged the channel three times in recent years. Its project page records about 29,300 cubic metres of sand removed in 2023, with ferries back at Ettalong on 16 October 2023; about 30,000 cubic metres in 2025, with regular services back on 14 June 2025; and a 13-day campaign in May 2026, when ferries were diverted to Patonga from 2 May and the channel reopened to commuter ferries on 1 June 2026. During the diversions, replacement shuttle buses and a shuttle ferry ran. Transport says it is working on approvals for a 10-year dredging plan, and that future campaigns depend on funding.

As of 26 October 2026 the regular timetable was showing and no diversion notice appeared on the operator's website. Spring and summer weather can change fast on Broken Bay, so treat any plan as provisional until the morning.

Dogs, Bikes And Surfboards On The Palm Beach Ferry

Carinya Coastal Escapes takes up to two dogs by approval, so many guests ask whether the dog can come across. The operator's own pages do not agree. Its service page says it does not mind if you bring your dog "as long as it stays outside". Its FAQ says pet animals may travel "if they are confined to a box, basket or other container", citing the Passenger Transport (General) Regulation 2017, and that you must ask the crew before boarding with a pet.

Because of that conflict, ring Palm Beach Ferries on 1800 326 822 before you plan a day around the dog. There is a second reason to leave the dog at home for a lighthouse day: NSW National Parks says dogs are not permitted in the national park at Barrenjoey, and Northern Beaches Council says dogs are not allowed on Station Beach. For a dog day closer to the house, our dog-friendly Central Coast guide covers the local off-leash beaches.

Bikes and scooters

Bicycles, e-scooters and kick scooters are $4.10 per trip in the 2026 fare table, and are carried at the crew's discretion.

Surfboards and luggage

Surfboards and suitcases fall in the medium freight band at $11.05 each way, so it is usually simpler to leave boards at the house; Carinya has four bodyboards for the Coast-side beaches.

What You See From The Ferry Between Ettalong And Palm Beach

Even if you never step off at Palm Beach, the crossing is a scenic half hour. The operator itself recommends taking a seat outside to enjoy the views when the weather allows.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk And Sunday Tours From The Ferry

Barrenjoey Lighthouse is a big reason many Central Coast visitors cross. NSW National Parks says there is no vehicle access, so everyone walks. The Barrenjoey track is about 1 kilometre and "the walk to the top requires moderate fitness and will take about 30 minutes each way from Governor Phillip parking area". The Smugglers track is steeper and shorter. It was built around 1850 by customs officers keeping watch for smugglers.

From Palm Beach Wharf, head north towards Governor Phillip Park at the Barrenjoey end of the peninsula, where the walk starts. NPWS publishes a map on its lighthouse page. Toilets and drinking water are at the parking area, and NPWS says there are also flush toilets at the lighthouse itself.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse tours

A family of two adults and two children would pay $52 before the group discount and $46.80 after it. To make a 12pm or 1pm tour on a Sunday, catch the 9:30am ferry from Ettalong (arriving about 9:55am), walk up at an easy pace and you will have time for a coffee first. The inside of the lighthouse is only open on a guided tour, but you can walk around the outside on any day.

Palm Beach, Station Beach And The Real Summer Bay

Palm Beach is where Home and Away is filmed, and Northern Beaches Council calls it "the real 'Summer Bay'". That is the answer to the common search "where is Home and Away filmed": the beach scenes use Palm Beach and the area around it.

The ocean beach

The council describes Palm Beach as a 2.3-kilometre, east-facing beach curving from Barrenjoey to Little Head, with good swimming and bodysurfing but a strong shore break at times, and excellent surfing at the northern end. Swim between the red and yellow flags when the beach is patrolled, and check the BeachSafe app for patrol times and conditions on the day.

Station Beach on the Pittwater side

Station Beach runs along Governor Phillip Park, close to the start of the lighthouse track. The council describes it as quiet and sandy with calm water and views over Pittwater, but it is not patrolled by lifeguards, and dogs are not permitted on the sand. It is a good spot for children to paddle while the adults rest after the climb.

Food on the Palm Beach side

Barrenjoey House at 1108 Barrenjoey Road is a short walk from the wharf; hours change through the year, so book or check first. To eat on the Coast instead, see our Ettalong restaurants guide.

Beyond Palm Beach: The Basin, Mackerel Beach And The Hopper

Palm Beach Wharf is also the start of the second Fantasea route, which runs across Pittwater to Bennetts, Bonnie Doon, The Basin, Currawong and Mackerel Beach. The operator says the round trip "takes approximately 45 minutes", and the ferry departs Palm Beach hourly, seven days a week. A single adult ticket is $10.80, with children and concessions $5.40.

The Basin is a grassy campground and picnic area in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park with a sheltered lagoon. Mackerel Beach, the last stop, is a small beach settlement on the western shore of Pittwater. Linking the two ferries makes a full day: Ettalong to Palm Beach in the morning, across to The Basin for a swim and picnic, then back to Palm Beach for the afternoon boat home.

The operator's own Hopper itinerary for Central Coast visitors suggests catching the first weekend boat from Ettalong, the 10am ferry to The Basin, a swim and picnic, a mid-afternoon ferry back to Palm Beach, and then the 3:30pm or 4:30pm boat to Ettalong.

Our sister guide, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park from Avalon, covers The Basin, landing fees and walking tracks in more detail.

Coming The Other Way: Ettalong Diggers And Melbourne Cup Day

The ferry also works in the opposite direction, from Palm Beach to Ettalong, for lunch. The operator sells an Ettalong Diggers Lunch Cruise: the ferry crossing plus lunch from the daily specials at the club, from $35 for one course or $42 with coffee and cake as a second course, booked on 02 4343 0140. Its page says the club at 51-52 The Esplanade is "an easy 10 minute stroll along the beach" from the wharf, or a ride on the complimentary shuttle bus.

Events at Ettalong in the next few weeks

Ettalong Diggers lists a Melbourne Cup Party on Tuesday 3 November 2026 and a Big Band Spectacular on Saturday 7 November 2026 on its website. Check the club's events page for times and tickets.

Three Palm Beach Ferry Day Plans From Daleys Point

1. The lighthouse morning (Sunday)

Drive five minutes to Ettalong and catch the 9:30am ferry (arrives about 9:55am). Walk north to Governor Phillip Park and up the Barrenjoey track for a booked 12pm lighthouse tour. Picnic on the grass above Station Beach, then catch the 2pm or 3:30pm boat back. You will be on the balcony at Carinya with the barbecue going before 5pm.

2. The slow lunch (any day)

Take the 10:50am from Ettalong (arrives about 11:25am). Walk along the Pittwater side, book lunch at Barrenjoey House, and spend the afternoon on the ocean beach between the flags. Catch the 4:30pm back to Ettalong and watch the light go gold over Lion Island on the way home.

3. The two-ferry family day (weekend)

Buy a Hopper family pass online. Ferry from Ettalong at 9:30am, then across Pittwater to The Basin for the lagoon and a picnic. Ferry back to Palm Beach in the afternoon, and take the 4:30pm or the 6pm last boat to Ettalong. Pack swimmers, snacks and a dry bag.

Why Carinya Coastal Escapes Suits A Palm Beach Ferry Weekend

Carinya Coastal Escapes is a four-bedroom house at Daleys Point, high above Brisbane Water with Bouddi National Park directly behind it. The listing puts Ettalong Wharf and the Palm Beach ferry about a five-minute drive away, and Ettalong Beach five minutes too.

The house is set up for the end of a big day out. It sleeps up to ten guests across four bedrooms, five beds and three bathrooms, with a private water-view balcony, a 4-burner barbecue and 6-seat outdoor dining. Inside there is a 10-seat dining table surrounded by windows and water views, a full kitchen with a Thermomix and a De'Longhi coffee machine with Campos beans, and an upstairs bathroom with a spa bath for tired legs after the lighthouse climb. There is an outdoor shower on the lower deck for rinsing off salt and sand.

The owners, Ross and Mishelle, list the Ettalong ferry to Palm Beach among the things to do from the house, alongside their favourite café, The Box on Ettalong Beach, and Margarita Daze. Ross's grandparents lived at Patonga and Ettalong, so this stretch of water is part of the story of the house.

Who This Stay Suits And How A Group Uses It

A ferry day out works best for groups who like to split up and meet again. With three levels and Bedroom 4 on its own floor with an ensuite, Carinya lets one couple sleep in while early risers catch the 9:30am boat. Families can use the bodyboards and life vests at Ocean Beach or Ettalong on the days they stay on the Coast side.

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out by 10am with a self check-in lockbox. If you arrive on a Friday, a Saturday ferry day leaves Sunday morning free for the Bouddi tracks behind the house. Our Bouddi National Park walks guide has the details.

Ferry Day Checklist: What To Pack And Book

Want to stay on the water when you are back? Our Brisbane Water fishing and paddling guide covers ramps and kayak hire close to Daleys Point.

Sources And Date Checked

Every fare, time and rule in this guide was checked on 26 October 2026 against these primary sources. Ferry times and fares can change; confirm with the operator before you travel.