Many of us like to take our pups out and about for the day, but is it time they earned a guaranteed ticket to ride on our ferries?
Last month, Maria Brookes shared an incident that happened at Circular Quay when a passenger with her small dog tucked into an “approved” backpack carrier was turned away from the F6 “Golden Grove” ferry (Circular Quay to Mosman route). Despite fellow passengers rallying to her defence on the scorching hot day, the captain exercised authority to deny boarding, leaving the owner and pet stranded on the wharf.
“The entire bottom deck came out to support the passenger but the crew “exercised their right,” Maria shared in the Mosman Living Group. “I personally asked the Captain to also exercise common sense – on a hot day, a fully enclosed pet and the owner who just wants to get home. He said, ‘NO.’ The lady and her backpack pet were left on the wharf.”
According to Transport NSW regulations, pets are permitted on ferries, buses, and light rail only if “confined in a box, basket or other container” as required by the Passenger Transport Regulation 2017. However, final permission rests with staff or drivers, creating inconsistent enforcement and undue stress for pet owners. It’s a roll of the dice whether your furry friend gets to ride or is left high and dry.
Sydney’s ferry network currently operates under a two-tier system. Government-operated Transport NSW ferries maintain stricter policies, requiring small pets to be in carriers and travel on outside decks when available. While these rules were loosely enforced in the past, several incidents have led to stricter compliance, with signage now visible at many terminals.
Dogs living their best lives on Sydney ferries. Facebook images: Mosman Living, Pet Friendly NSW
But hop aboard a privately-operated ferry and it’s a different story altogether. Fancy taking your Great Dane to Bundeena? No problem on Cronulla Ferries, where dogs of all sizes are welcome as long as they’re leashed. The same goes for Palm Beach Ferries, making their services perfect for those heading to dog-friendly beaches on the Central Coast.
And if you happen to be in Victoria with your pooch and catch the Murray River Paddle steamer, dogs are not only let on, they get their own special doggie-stamped ticket.
When it comes to assistance animals, the rules differ significantly. Those with valid accreditation are permitted on all NSW public transport. However, therapy animals, facility animals, and emotional support animals are classified as companion animals without the same access rights.
Transport NSW guidelines emphasise practical common-sense concerns, stating animals must be restrained appropriately, clean, non-threatening to other passengers, kept off seats, and clear of passageways. On ferries specifically, animals should stick to outdoor areas unless none are available (and even then, as mentioned above, they can be turned away if the crew decides to deny them on the day).
Over in Balmain, local MP Kobi Shetty is calling on the NSW Government to create dedicated pet-friendly zones aboard Sydney’s ferries, to help bring Sydney in line with more pet-friendly public transit systems around the world.
Highlighting the inner city area’s high dog ownership rates, Shetty argues current regulations requiring pets to be confined in carriers are impractical for many residents, especially those with larger breeds, forcing unnecessary car dependency in an area where public transport should be the easier option.
With more households including pets as family members, should our transport systems catch up? Or are the current rules striking the right balance between pet owners and those with allergies or fears?
What do you think—should our four-legged friends have more freedom to feel the wind in their fur on Sydney’s iconic ferries, or are the current restrictions there for good reason?
Main images: Shared by Shannon Frost in Mosman Living Facebook Group
