Two boats a day leave Clump Point, at the northern end of Mission Beach, for the jetty on Dunk Island, and two come back. The service runs Wednesday to Sunday only, every ticket is a return, and you have to book: walk-up passengers are turned away.
Dunk Island Ferry timetable for the 2026 season, identical on the operator's ferry site and on the island's own guide, read on 13 October 2026. The operator ran seven days a week during the September–October 2026 Queensland school holidays; outside them it is Wednesday to Sunday Dunk Island Ferry – FAQ and timetable · 2026-10-13
Dunk Island sits just off the Cassowary Coast between Cairns and Townsville, a rainforest-covered hump inside the marine park that protects the Great Barrier Reef and part of the Family Islands National Park. Its scheduled public link to the mainland, according to the operator, is a small ferry from Clump Point at Mission Beach, about two and a half hours' drive from either city by the operator's estimate.
The timetable is short enough to memorise. From Wednesday to Sunday the boat leaves Clump Point at 08:45 and 12:30 and returns from the island at 10:30 and 15:30; on Mondays and Tuesdays it does not run. During the Queensland school holidays from 21 September to early October 2026 the operator ran it every day, so look out for similar notices around future holidays.
Every fare is a return that includes the shuttle bus from three pick-up points around Mission Beach: $66.30 for an adult, $41 for children from three to fifteen and $51 for a pensioner or Seniors card holder.
Only return tickets are sold, because the ferry is run as a same-day out-and-back service and each fare covers both crossings and the shuttle bus from Mission Beach. A concession fare needs an Australian pension, DVA or Seniors card shown at check-in; without it you pay the adult price on the spot. Children under three travel free with a paying adult.
| Adult, 15 and over | $ 66.30 |
| Child, 3–15 | $ 41 |
| Pensioner, DVA or Seniors card | $ 51 |
| Child under 3 | Free |
| Secure car park, Hideaway Holiday Village, per night | $ 10 |
2026 return fares as listed by the operator, read on 13 October 2026; prices in AUD including GST Dunk Island Ferry – How to get to Dunk Island (2026 fares) · 2026-10-13
Clump Point juts out from the northern end of Mission Beach, and Dunk Island lies to the south-south-east, one of the Family Islands. The ferry site gives the distance from the mainland as 4 to 4.5 kilometres, measured from the nearest coast; the boat's actual run from Clump Point to the island jetty is closer to 10 kilometres, which is why it needs fifteen minutes or more.
Further south the outline of Hinchinbrook Island fills the horizon. That is a separate national park with its own booked boat from Cardwell, described on our Hinchinbrook Island ferry page, and it is aimed at walkers on the Thorsborne Trail rather than day visitors. Further south again, off Townsville, Magnetic Island has the opposite arrangement: walk-on tickets are open, fitting whichever catamaran you catch, and only a car needs a reservation.
The ferry site describes the departure point as Clump Point Jetty, also signposted as Clump Point Marina, five minutes by car from the Mission Beach town centre; the island's own guide calls it the Clump Point Boat Ramp and says to walk to the far, northern end of the gangway. The ferry site says day parking there is free, while the island's guide warns that space is very limited in peak season, so the included shuttle is the easier option.
The boat ties up at the island's jetty, a short walk from the main beach, the restaurant and the eco tents. There are no cars and no general store on the island, and mobile coverage is patchy, so bring water and anything else you need for the day.
There are no walk-up tickets. The boat is small and, according to the operator, regularly sells out on Saturdays and in Queensland school holidays.
The booking terms let the operator cancel or reschedule for bad weather and then offer a credit, a new date or a refund at its discretion. Cancel yourself more than 48 hours ahead and you may get a credit or refund; inside 48 hours the fare is forfeited.
The ferry pages give a 15-minute arrival margin at Clump Point, but the booking terms set the check-in deadline at 30 minutes and say the boat will not wait. Aim for the earlier time.
Mission Link's shuttle collects ferry passengers at South Mission Beach, Wongaling Beach and the Mission Beach town centre and brings them back after the return sailing, at no extra cost.
Vehicles cannot be carried, the island is car-free, and domestic animals are not allowed in the national park or on the island except for assistance animals.
The Djiru and Bandjin peoples are the traditional owners of the Family Islands' sea country, and the operator acknowledges the Djiru name for Dunk, Coonanglebah. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service records that James Cook named the island in 1770 and that the writer E.J. Banfield, the "beachcomber", lived there from 1897 to 1923. Cyclone Yasi crossed the island in February 2011 and badly damaged its forests, which the park service says have recovered well.
The ferry and the island's eco tents, campsite and restaurant are run by the same group, which trades as Dunk Island and whose booking terms name the companies Green Operator 1 and Green Operator 2. The terms also name the vessel, Game Changer, while reserving the right to substitute another boat. The Dunk Island Spit, where day-use and camping facilities sit, is managed by Cassowary Coast Regional Council, and the rest of the national park by the state.
At 08:45 and 12:30, Wednesday to Sunday, from Clump Point. Return boats leave Dunk Island at 10:30 and 15:30. There are no sailings on Mondays or Tuesdays.
$66.30 for an adult, $41 for children from three to fifteen and $51 with a pension, DVA or Seniors card; under-threes are free. All fares are returns and include the Mission Beach shuttle bus.
No. The operator sells return fares only. Eco tent bookings include the return crossing, so overnight guests simply come back on a later day.
The operator may cancel or reschedule the crossing for inclement weather. Under its booking terms it can then offer a credit, a rebooking, or a refund of all or part of the fare, at its discretion and subject to Australian Consumer Law.
About six hours if you travel over on the 08:45 and return on the 15:30. On the 12:30 you get roughly three hours, because the 15:30 is the only return that afternoon.
The ferry site lists free public parking at the jetty for day trippers, though the island's guide says space is tight in peak season. Overnight guests can use a secure car park at Hideaway Holiday Village in Mission Beach for $10 a night.
No. Passengers board from the gangway at Clump Point and the ferry docks at the jetty on Dunk Island, a short walk from the main beach.