In March 2025, the City of Hobart is asked for public feedback on a proposed new passenger ferry terminal at Lords Beach in Sandy Bay. The proposal is part of an initiative to expand the River Derwent Ferry Service and increase public transport options across Greater Hobart.

What is this project about?

Palawa heritage

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.

How we got here

An extensive transportation network of ferry services and terminals also served the town 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 service has proven to be extremely popular.

Why Sandy Bay?

As outlined in the draft River Derwent Ferry Service Master Plan, an additional passenger ferry terminals in Hobart will increase transport options for people travelling to local high schools, the University of Tasmania and to work.

Sandy Bay was identified as the preferred location by Hobart City Council in December 2024 for an additional passenger ferry terminal in Hobart due to its:

• Feasibility based on technical assessments.

• Proximity to key locations such as The Hutchins School, Fahan School, Mount Carmel College and the University of Tasmania. They are all within a one kilometre walking distance of the ferry terminal site.

• High visibility for commuter access from Sandy Bay Road as well as linkages to a popular cycleway.

• Proximity to a large commuter catchment area, with approximately 750 homes within one kilometre of the ferry terminal.

What does this plan include?

A new passenger ferry terminal at Sandy Bay would be an important addition to the Greater Hobart Derwent Ferries services network. The location will provide important linkages with the Hobart’s eastern shore and education services as well as facilities in the Sandy Bay area.

Preliminary plans for the new Sandy Bay passenger ferry terminal include:

• Bike storage, including charging facilities for e-bikes and e-scooters.

• A walkway taking passengers out over the water to a boarding ramp.

• Additional lighting on the ferry terminal and kerbside.

• Kiosk and toilets.

For further information about the project and information on the proposed new terminal please refer to our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document.

The City of Hobart sought input from the community to better understand:

• considerations regarding the proposed passenger ferry terminal’s location and design
• how access, connections and amenities at the terminal could best support future use.

This feedback informed Hobart City Council’s decision on the final location and design of the new passenger ferry terminal.

Community engagement for this project was open between Wednesday 5 March and Sunday 30 March, 2025. These were the ways to provide feedback and share your ideas about the project:

Register for a conversation

• March 13, 2025
• Have your say on the proposed Sandy Bay Ferry Terminal by registering for a 1 on 1 conversation with our engagement team, and an independent consultant.

Online survey

• March 5-30, 2025
• Have your say on the proposed Sandy Bay Ferry Terminal using the Your Say link at the bottom of this page. Share your ideas and what is important to you in this survey.

Your say pop-ups

• At various times and locations during the engagement period (March 5-30, 2026)
• Come and speak directly with the Your Say Hobart engagement team to learn more about the project and share your feedback at various locations across Hobart.

Pop-ups

• UTAS, Student Life Expo, Thursday, March 6 | 11 am – 2.30 pm
• Long Beach Twilight Market, Friday, March 14 | 5–7pm

Face-to-face surveys

• Brooke St Pier and Elizabeth Mall, Tuesday 25 and Wednesday March 26
• Hill Street in Sandy Bay, Thursday March 27 | 4pm-6pm
• Woolworths in Sandy Bay, Thursday March 27 | 1pm-3pm

Submissions

• Open during the engagement period (March 5-30, 2025)
• Have your say on the Sandy Bay ferry terminal proposal by providing a written submission.

The proposal for a new ferry terminal at Sandy Bay has been through a number of stages :

• August 2021: Hobart’s first public ferry service, between Hobart and Bellerive, was opened to the public as a trial and then a permanent service.

• Throughout 2022: The Greater Hobart Councils (Hobart, Clarence, Glenorchy and Kingborough) commissioned a proof of concept to identify the need and potential locations for additional passenger ferry terminals.

• Locations for the new infrastructure were identified as Wilkinson Point, Lindisfarne and Sandy Bay.

• Throughout 2023: the Council’s secured funding of $20M from the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to construct the new passenger ferry terminals.

• November 2023: The Tasmanian Government released a Draft River Derwent Ferry Service Master Plan to expand ferry services on the River Derwent. The planning study for the master plan established eight priority locations for ferry sites, one in Sandy Bay. The Councils undertook detailed analysis of the three priority sites to identify specific sites for the new passenger ferry terminals in each location. This included a detailed review of all potential sites along the western shore of the river from Marieville Esplanade to Lower Sandy Bay.

• December 2024: The Hobart City Council endorsed the preferred ferry terminal site at Lords Beach in Sandy Bay so that community engagement could be undertaken on that site.

• March 2025: Community engagement on the proposed Sandy Bay ferry terminal begins.

• April 2025: Community engagement reporting and analysis begins.

• May 2025: Findings from the community engagement process will be assessed and considered in the finalisation of a ferry terminal design, prior to legislated development processes (eg. permits).

Please note: The City of Hobart’s community engagement process is separate to the legislated development approval processes required on council land.