Major changes to Ulmarra as ferry service revamps river

Ferry will be down for three weeks, but will return more reliable after river work

The Ulmarra Ferry in the Clarence River

The Ulmarra ferry has long been plagued by the whims of the river level, but after a maintenance program and work to the river, it will soon be a thing of the past.

Motorists who use the Ulmarra ferry will soon have a more reliable service, with dredging to be carried out around the river crossing during its regular maintenance shutdown period.

Transport for NSW Regional Director North Anna Zycki said the ferry will be out of service from Monday 12 July for at least three weeks for mandatory maintenance and Transport for NSW will also carry out dredging while it’s offline to make the service more reliable.

”Over the past 12 months the ferry service has had to be suspended a number of times after hitting a sandbar,” Ms Zycki said.

“Following an environmental assessment, Transport for NSW will dredge the area to remove the sandbar which is causing the obstruction while the ferry is undergoing maintenance.

“This will make the area around the crossing deep enough so the ferry no longer hits the river bed and can operate uninterrupted.”

Ms Zycki said the ferry will undergo a full inspection during this time, with maintenance checks carried out to ensure it continues to provide a safe and reliable service for the travelling public.

The Ulmarra Ferry in the Clarence River

“No replacement ferry will be available, so motorists are advised to use an alternative route via the Lawrence ferry or the two bridges over the Clarence River at Grafton,” Ms Zycki said.

“The Ulmarra ferry is valued by customers and this maintenance work is essential to keep it operating safely and efficiently.

“The opening of the new bridge in Grafton has eased traffic delays considerably, which will reduce travel delays for ferry users who use the bridge as an alternative route.

“People understand it is now much quicker to get in and out of Grafton via the new bridge, particularly during peak hours.”

Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience while these safety improvements are carried out.

For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.

Users can also register to receive SMS updates of ferry operations by calling 02 6640 1331 or emailing [e-mail] with contact details and a request to be added to the Ulmarra and Lawrence ferries contact list.