The Lawrence Ferry is a cable ferry

Cable ferry

A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....

 across the Clarence River

Clarence River (New South Wales)

The Clarence River is situated in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The river originates on the watershed that marks the Queensland border. After flowing south and northeast for 394 km it then empties into the Pacific Ocean at Iluka/Yamba. On its journey it passes through the towns of...

 in New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The ferry operates between the town of Lawrence

Lawrence, New South Wales

Lawrence is a small town located 13 km from Maclean, New South Wales, Australia. It is accessed by the Lawrence car ferry from Woodford Island or by travelling 30 kilometres north from Grafton. At the 2006 census, Lawrence had a population of 390 people...

 and Woodford Island

Woodford Island

Woodford Island is an inland island in the Far-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is formed by the Clarence River where it splits into the South Arm and North Arm at the small village of Brushgrove then reforms at the town of Maclean...

, and forms part of the route east from Lawrence to the coast. It is the busiest vehicular ferry in New South Wales.

The ferry is operated by a private sector

Private sector

In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...

 operator under contract to New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services

Roads and Maritime Services

Roads and Maritime Services is an agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for building and maintaining road infrastructure and managing the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways....

. The ferry operates on demand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but is closed for maintenance every Tuesday between 0950 and 1100. If the ferry is not in operation, the alternatives are a 38 kilometres (23.6 mi) detour via the Ulmarra Ferry

Ulmarra Ferry

The Ulmarra Ferry is a cable ferry across the Clarence River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates between the town of Ulmarra and Southgate....

, or a 67 kilometres (41.6 mi) detour via the bridge at Grafton

Grafton, New South Wales

The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...

.

External links

• RTA vehicle ferry operation information - includes timetable.