Sandy Bay ferry terminal
Plans to expand the popular Derwent Ferries services are continuing. The Hobart City Council identified a preferred ferry terminal site on Lords Beach in Sandy Bay at its meeting in December 2024.
In March 2025 we carried out extensive public consultation on the proposed Sandy Bay Ferry terminal site.
Over three weeks we engaged with a broad range of people. Including local residents, students, businesses and culturally diverse groups.
Key findings from our community consultation
- There was general support for the proposed location of a ferry terminal at Lords Beach. 64 per cent of Sandy Bay residents and 71 per cent of broader community respondents indicated support for the project.
- Safe and convenient access was a top priority for most people. This included well established pedestrian infrastructure, protected cycling routes, school and university transport links as well as improved integration with existing public transport services.
- There were mixed views on the environmental impact of the proposed ferry terminal. Many supported the ferry as a sustainable transport option that could reduce car use and emissions. Others raised concerns about potential impacts on the foreshore and marine life.
- There was high interest in the project, with a desire for improved transparency in future planning, technical assessments and how community feedback would influence final outcomes.
The findings from our public consultation will help finalise a design for the Sandy Bay Ferry terminal. They will shape decision-making on the terminal's location before we proceed to a formal development processes. This will include securing planning approvals and permits.
Engagement summary report(PDF, 2MB)
Visit our Your Say Hobart website to learn more about our public consultation process.
A growing ferry network
For thousands of generations, the Timtumili Minanya (Derwent Estuary) has been a vital waterway and cultural landscape for Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Connecting the coast and hinterland, the Timtumili Minanya was a vital route for the southern nations and provided abundant resources.
This waterway remains significant to the Palawa community due to its rich heritage and cultural values.
An extensive transportation network of ferry services and terminals also served Hobart until the 1960s. Although many of these services ceased, they were reactivated after the 1975 Tasman Bridge disaster.
In August 2021 the Tasmanian Government re-established a regular passenger ferry service between Sullivans Cove and Bellerive. This ferry service embarks from the Brooke Street Pier.
A second ferry terminal in the Hobart municipal area will increase transport options for people travelling to local high schools, the University of Tasmania and to work.
Preliminary plans for the new Sandy Bay ferry terminal include bike storage, a kiosk and toilets. There will also be charging facilities for e-bikes and e-scooters.
Additional lighting on the ferry terminal and kerbside will increase public safety and amenity.
Importantly, the final design of the terminal will be informed by community consultation, which has now concluded.
The expansion of ferry services on the River Derwent has been made possible through $20 million in Australian Government funding secured by the Greater Hobart councils.
Benefits
Ferry services from Bellerive to Hobart have proved to be popular with the travelling public. During the first year of a ferry services trial more than 120 000 ferry trips were made between Hobart and Bellerive. The introduction of Saturday services has also been popular, carrying an average of 600 passengers a day during the warmer months.
The new Sandy Bay ferry terminal will have multiple benefits, including:
- Creating a new public transport choice for students* travelling from the eastern shore to Sandy Bay high schools, including Mount Carmel College, Fahan School and The Hutchins School.
- Creating new public transport options for commuters travelling to the University of Tasmania from the eastern shore.
- Making it easier and cheaper for students, workers and tourists to travel efficiently and sustainably in Hobart without relying on cars.
- Reducing the number of vehicles travelling over the Tasman Bridge and through the Hobart CBD and Sandy Bay during peak hours.
- Reducing the number of private vehicles on our roads, lowering transport emissions.
*Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to travel unaccompanied on passenger ferry services in Tasmania.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why were Sandy Bay sites considered?
Sandy Bay is an important inclusion to the Greater Derwent Ferry services route network. The location will provide important linkages with the Eastern Shore and education services and other facilities in the Sandy Bay area.
Sandy Bay is also home to some key tourist attractions and a key event destination. Providing more transport connectivity will help reduce road congestion into and through the city.
The shoreline from Sullivans Cove to lower Sandy Bay was assessed and identified four potential sites for a ferry terminal.
How were sites chosen and assessed?
A multi-criteria assessment was used which considered a range of maritime factors including but not limited to water depth, prevailing weather conditions and shoreline accessibility.
A scoring matrix then ranked each site for suitability and this is what has informed site selection to date.
The next method of assessment involves community engagement.
Why not Wrest Point?
Access to this site would require a change in current private access provisions and use of the area that would represent a significant impact on the site owner's operations.
The City of Hobart has actively engaged with the site owner/lessee in respect to the potential use of its land for a Sandy Bay ferry terminal. However, this process has highlighted that access to this site would require a change in current private access provisions and that the use of the area would encumber the site and represent a significant impact on the owners/lessee's operations. Accordingly, the owner/lessee has declined the opportunity.
Why Lords Beach?
The new ferry terminal would be one of three to be built as part of expansion plans for River Derwent ferry services. The other two are planned for Wilkinsons Point in Glenorchy and Natone Bay in Lindisfarne.
Lords Beach has been chosen as the preferred site because:
- Hutchins School, Fahan School, Mount Carmel College and the University of Tasmania are within 1km walking distance.
- Its close proximity to recreational areas including University of Tasmania sporting facilities.
- Proximity to Wrest Point Casino, which is a high-volume tourism attraction and event venue.
- An existing bus stop is already close by.
- High visibility for commuter access from Sandy Bay Road as well as linkages to a popular cycleway.
- It is next to a large commuter catchment area, with approximately 750 homes within 1km of the ferry terminal.
- The site has street parking along Sandy Bay Road which would allow for pick-up and drop off area.
What about parking and impact on residents?
The ferry service will be run by the Tasmanian Government. Our role is to support the ferry service through the provision of local infrastructure.
Ferry services are intended to complement bus services within the Greater Hobart area.
The Department of State Growth plans to work with councils and operators to identify where existing bus services can better align with ferry services.
We are able to introduce controls, such as parking limitations, that reduce access to all-day parking for non-residents.
Clarence City Council has taken similar measures in the area surrounding the current ferry terminal site in Bellerive. This provides a useful case-study for the Sandy Bay terminal site.
What will it look like?
Plans for the new ferry terminal include bike storage and a walkway taking passengers out over the water to a boarding ramp.
Part of the terminal will sit out over the water and include large double-glazed windows to make the most of the scenic location.
What advocacy has taken place so far?
The State Government and Greater Hobart Councils have been advocating for, and progressing, an expansion of the Derwent River Ferry service for many years.
The following chronology details this journey:
February 2025
Clarence City Council unanimously approves the redevelopment of the ferry terminal at Bellerive Pier.
December 2024
Hobart City Council provides approval for Lords Beach, Sandy Bay to be the location for a new passenger ferry terminal subject to the engagement with property owners in close proximity to the proposed development and the attainment of a planning permit for the use and development.
October 2024
2024 Hobart Children's Mayor, Lola Mennitz's submission advocates for a service that links both side of the river and the northern and southern suburbs complimenting Metro bus services.
June 2024
Hobart City Council provides in principle approval for the establishment of a new passenger ferry terminal at Sandy Bay, with the approval of the terminal site to be considered and agreed by the Council at a future meeting, once it has been determined.
February 2024
Tasmanian Government announces a $20 million commitment to support the expansion of the River Derwent terminal network.
January 2024
Greater Hobart Mayors call on the Tasmanian Government to deliver a $26 million ferry infrastructure package to complete the River Derwent terminal network.
January 2024
300 000 passengers have boarded a ferry since the service commenced in 2021.
November 2023
Greater Hobart Mayors welcome the release of the River Derwent Ferry Service Draft Masterplan
April 2022
Greater Hobart councils successfully advocate for $20 million as part of the Federal Election for new terminals at Lindisfarne, Sandy Bay and Wilkinsons Point.
January 2022
Announcement that the River Derwent Ferry Service trial is to continue beyond the initial 12-month trial period.
December 2021 to February 2022
City of Hobart funds free Saturday ferry service between Hobart and Bellerive as part of a COVID-19 support package for local businesses.
December 2021
Extra ferry services to support the Ashes Test.
August 2021
One-year trial commences to establish demand for a ferry service between Hobart and Bellerive.
April 2018
Hobart City Council reaffirms its support for a River Derwent ferry service.
A meeting is requested with the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the progress of the Tasmanian Government's plan for trans-Derwent ferries, initially between Bellerive and Sullivans Cove.
October 2017
Hobart City Council requests the Tasmanian Government to progress its Southern Integrated Transport Plan 2010 particularly in areas of multi-modal integrated ticketing, real time transport data and connected transport routes.
Hobart City Council seeks a commitment from STCA and particularly neighbouring councils to resource a joint study to examine the potential for development around a number of ferry centric nodes in a way that provides density (demand), attractions (visitors), amenity (cafes and other services) and links to transport, walks, etc with each having a unique and locally appropriate character.
Hobart City Council seeks a commitment, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, from the Tasmanian Government and neighbouring councils to jointly undertake a business case for proceeding with the most promising options for a River Derwent ferry service.
Hobart City Council commit to contribute up to $20 000 for a potential joint study on existing docking facilities and the development of ferry centric nodes and a joint business case for a River Derwent ferry service.
July 2017
Hobart City Council hosts a roundtable of stakeholders to discuss a River Derwent ferry service. SGS Economics and Planning prepared a report on the outcomes of the roundtable.
September 2016
The Council convene a roundtable of stakeholders to progress discussions on the development of a River Derwent ferry service.
May 2016
Notice of Motion lodged with Hobart City Council requesting a report investigating what information and evidence would be required to test the viability of a River Derwent ferry service.
Next steps
Elected members of Hobart City Council had an opportunity to receive an update on the Derwent River Ferry Expansion, and the Sandy Bay Ferry terminal project - including a summary of the findings - at a Hobart Workshop Committee Meeting in May.
Their feedback will help inform the design and mitigate existing or potential issues and concerns. It will also shape decision making on the terminal's location, access and amenity before we proceed to formal development processes, such as securing planning approvals and permits.
The new ferry terminal for Hobart is a key action in both the City of Hobart and Tasmanian Government's transport strategies.
Expanding ferry services aligns with our climate strategy goal of creating a more resilient and connected Hobart.
River Derwent Ferry Service Masterplan
The Tasmanian Government has created a draft River Derwent Ferry Service Masterplan to guide the expansion of ferry services on the River Derwent.
It proposes potential new ferry sites and services.
As well as Hobart and Bellerive, the masterplan identifies suggested locations for new ferry services, such as:
- Lindisfarne
- Howrah
- Wilkinsons Point
- Sandy Bay
- Regatta Point
- Kingston Beach.
The draft masterplan was prepared and found sites in both Sandy Bay and Lindisfarne, which have since been updated.
Find more information on the River Derwent Ferry Service Expansion page.
Location
Lords Beach, Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay 7005 View Map
-42.90484090444502, 147.33863531230887
Lords Beach, Sandy Bay Road ,
Sandy Bay 7005
Lords Beach, Sandy Bay Road ,
Sandy Bay 7005
Sandy Bay ferry terminal