Boats & ferries

Melbourne inner city

Route	Operator	Timetable
Melbourne CBD / Southbank to Williamstown Via Southgate
Yarra & Maribyrnong Rivers Via any landing between Richmond, Maribyrnong and Williamstown
Port Melbourne to Spotswood	Westgate Punt
St Kilda to Williamstown Via Port Melbourne

Melbourne to Portarlington and Geelong

A 400 seat catamaran offers trips from Docklands in Melbourne to Portarlington and Geelong. The ferry travels along the Yarra River to its entrance, and then south-west across Port Phillip.

Distance: 45 kilometres from Docklands to Portarlington, 29 kilometres from Portarlington to Geelong
Duration: 1 hour and 10 minutes to Portarlington, 40 minutes from Portarlington to Geelong
Melbourne location: Harbour Esplanade, Victoria Harbour, Docklands
Portarlington location: Portarlington Pier
Geelong location: Steampacket Gardens, Geelong waterfront

See Port Phillip Ferries for timetables and fares.

Mornington Peninsula to Bellarine Peninsula

A high frequency car and passenger ferry service operates between Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula and Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula. The ferry route is on the inside of the entrance to Port Phillip.

For those touring along the Great Ocean Road or coming from Geelong, it provides a convenient alternative for travelling to the Mornington Peninsula or Gippsland without having to drive via Melbourne.

Distance: 10 kilometres
Duration: 40 minutes

See Searoad for timetables and fares.

Western Port

Western Port Ferries operate high speed passenger catamarans, linking French Island, Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula. Departure points are at the Stony Point jetty at Crib Point (Mornington Peninsula), Cowes Jetty (Phillip Island) and Tankerton Jetty (French Island).

Most ferry services between Phillip Island and Stony Point go via French Island, stopping at Tankerton. A small number of services are direct.

Stony Point to French Island:
Distance: 4 kilometres
Duration: 15 minutes

Stony Point to Phillip Island:
Distance: 8 kilometres
Duration: 30 minutes

See Western Port Ferries for timetables and fares.

There is no vehicle ferry to Phillip Island. Those wishing to drive their vehicle onto the island will need to use the bridge that links the mainland at San Remo with Newhaven on Phillip Island.

Gippsland Lakes

The Raymond Island Ferry is a chain ferry which transports vehicles and pedestrians across McMillan Strait, between Paynesville and Raymond Island.

Distance: 200 metres
Duration: less than 5 minutes

See ferry information and timetable for further details.

Spirit of Tasmania

The Spirit of Tasmania operates two passenger and vehicular ferries which travel between Geelong (Spirit of Tasmania Quay) and Devonport in Tasmania. The ferry travels through Port Phillip and across Bass Strait.

The ferry service operates both ways overnight on almost every day of the year. On some days between September and April, day sailings are also available.

Distance: 448 kilometres
Duration: between 9½ and 11½ hours

See Spirit of Tasmania for timetables and bookings.