The vehicle and pedestrian ferry links Raymond Island to Paynesville.
The Raymond Island Ferry is contracted by Council to a private operator.
Wearing a face mask on public transport including the ferry
When travelling on public transport you must wear a fitted face mask covering your nose and mouth and ensure you wear it for your entire journey. It is also strongly recommended you wear a face mask when you cannot maintain 1.5 metres distance from other people.
Wearing a face mask helps keep you and others safe.
There are exemptions for children under 12 years, individuals with breathing difficulties, and those who have physical conditions that make it difficult to wear a face mask.
There are currently no plans to display.
Please check back soon.
Fares and Tickets
Effective Tuesday 1 September 2020 the following charges for travel will apply -
- Pedestrian traffic including bicycles and mobility scooters: Free
- Motorbike: $6
- Car/Van/Ute: $13
- Car/Van/Ute towing trailer or caravan: $20
- Truck/Bus: $20
- Truck/Bus towing trailer: $38
- Vehicle over 20T GVM: $28
- Vehicle over 20T GVM towing trailer: $55
- Hazardous material: $38
- Hazardous material with trailer: $74
- After hours call out service: $265
All tickets, excluding annual passes, can be purchased from the ferry driver when boarding.
Annual passes can be purchased from our Bairnsdale or Paynesville service centres.
Timetable
The Raymond Island Ferry leaves from the ferry terminals in Paynesville and Raymond Island.
- Paynesville – The Esplanade (near the intersection of The Esplanade and Victoria Street)
- Raymond Island – Fourth Avenue (near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Seventh Parade)
Standard departure times
Christmas Period Departures
Christmas Eve
Last service departs 1.00am Christmas Day.
Christmas Day
Train service departs 5.20am.
Services then operate from 6.40am to 11.40am continuous.
No ferry service between 12.00pm and 2.00pm.
Services resume at 2.00pm with the last service leaving at 11.00pm.
Boxing Day
Standard timetable applies.
New Year's Eve
Last service departs 1.00am 1 January.
New Year's Day
Standard timetable applies.
Please ensure you are waiting at the terminal prior to departure time to help with safe boarding and timely departures.
FAQ - Service and Timetable
How long is the ferry ride?
The crossing takes about 4 minutes.
What happens if public transport services are running late and I miss the last ferry?
Call the ferry on 0418 517 959 when departing Bairnsdale. The ferry will meet patrons at the Paynesville terminal. This service is a one-way service from Paynesville to Raymond Island. Normal patron and vehicle fees apply.
What happens if I need the ferry outside timetabled hours?
If you miss the last service or need the ferry out of hours it attracts a significant fee. You will need to contact the ferry on 0418 517 959 and pay the after hours service fee to access the ferry. Emergency services can access Raymond Island 24 hours a day.
The ferry left before its scheduled time – why?
This situation can occur for a variety of reasons including:
- In an emergency the ferry will not operate to its timetable; it will operate in accordance with the requirements of the emergency services and will not take other vehicles or passengers.
- During periods of peak demand the ferry may not be able to adhere to its timetable and the service may appear to leave early.
- During peak periods the ferry may leave early as it is full.
Service Charter
Download the Service Charter
FAQ - Tickets and Annual Passes
Are annual passes transferable between vehicles?
Yes by completing a Change of Vehicle Application Form.
I own a house on Raymond Island, do I have to pay for a pass?
Raymond Island homeowners receive two fee-free annual passes. Extra passes can be purchased if required.
How do I show my annual pass?
All annual ferry passes must be stuck to the bottom right corner of the vehicle’s windscreen so it can be easily seen by the ferry driver. If you don't display your pass, you will need to pay the appropriate ticket price.
Am I able to set up a payment account?
Yes. Please contact our Finance Department on (03) 5153 9500.
Can I buy a visitor pass for short-term stays on Raymond Island?
We don't offer visitor passes, however we have multi-trip passes. These offer 10 return trips with no expiry period and are available for various vehicle types (car, bus, truck, etc.). The cost of a multi-trip pass is the same as 10 return trips on the ferry.
FAQ - Service Outages
The ferry has an extensive proactive maintenance program that attempts to identify and address problems before they occur.
Scheduled outages - we have one scheduled outage where the ferry is taken out of the water for three weeks. This outage is every two to three years and is usually in October.
Unscheduled outages - we cannot give advance notice of unplanned outages.
During outages we put the following arrangements in place:
Pedestrians
Pedestrians are able to use a free water taxi. The water taxi leaves from:
- Paynesville – The jetty to the south of the terminal (about 50m via concrete footpath from the terminal).
- Raymond Island – The jetty to the north of the terminal (about 80m via a gravel footpath from the terminal).
Vehicles
A vehicle barge is available during extended ferry outages.
Private vehicles are only allowed to use the barge in exceptional circumstances. Requests can be made directly to the ferry operator on mobile 0418 517 959.
The vehicle barge is used for:
- Emergency vehicles. They have priority access to the vessel at all times.
- Commercial vehicles. Priority is given to providers such as electricity, water, gas and phone, and garbage collection.
- Tradespeople and other commercial service providers are also able to access Raymond Island to undertake their regular business.
The barge service operates from the following locations:
- Paynesville – the Esplanade boat ramp next to the Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club (about 400m south of the Paynesville terminal).
- Raymond Island – the Raymond Island boat ramp (about 150m south of the Raymond Island terminal).
If the ferry breaks down, residents will be allowed to take their vehicle off Raymond Island to enable them to conduct their daily life.
General Questions
Do I have to stay in my vehicle on the ferry?
Drivers are not allowed to leave their vehicles unless told to by the ferry operator.
What are the general rules of the ferry’s use?
- Bicycles, scooters and skateboards are not to be ridden while on board.
- The consumption of alcohol is not permitted.
- Smoking is not permitted. This includes in vehicles.
- Inappropriate language or behaviour towards a crew member or passenger will not be tolerated.
- No jumping or throwing anything from the vessel.
- Passengers must follow all reasonable directions given by crew members.
Under maritime law, the Master/s of the vessel operating are responsible for ensuring passenger and vessel safety and accordingly are empowered to exercise absolute discretion on vessel operations which, in some situations may result in the following arrangements being varied or temporarily suspended.
Why are there sometimes restrictions on trucks and other vehicles accessing the ferry?
If the lake water level changes, certain vehicles have trouble accessing the ferry. There is the possibility their undersides could strike the vessel; potentially causing significant damage to both the ferry and the vehicle.
We advise all truck and long vehicle drivers to check with the ferry operator on 0418 517 959 to ensure there are no restrictions in place. This should be done before loading and driving to Paynesville.
This approach is strongly recommended as the ferry driver will then be aware of a truck arriving. The ferry operator will then give instructions to help with boarding the ferry.
Can I get notified of ferry updates?
A group of Raymond Island volunteers run an SMS service that you can subscribe to for an annual fee.
Messages are sent at the ferry operator's request.
The service lets you know about unscheduled outages and service updates, it does not give reasons or offer advice.
To find out more, email or speak to the ferry driver.
Council is not involved in the information service. Although, on occasions, we may request a particular message. The timing and content of messages is controlled by the volunteers.
LED screens at both ferry terminals also provide details of ferry operations.
Can I take my dog on the ferry?
Yes, if they are on a lead and you keep them under control.
How do I raise concerns about the ferry service?
First speak to the ferry operator. If you have further concerns or the issue cannot be resolved by the ferry driver you can contact us.
Who operates the ferry?
The ferry is operated by a private company via a contract with East Gippsland Shire Council. All staff operating the ferry or substitute vessels are employees of the contractor.
Who maintains the ferry?
The ferry is maintained by private contractors.