Things to Do in Moggill: Ferry, Riverside Parks and Playground

Moggill is a riverside suburb on the western edge of Brisbane, and the best things to do there are the Moggill Ferry, a picnic at Moggill Ferry Reserve and a play at Westaway Park. It is about 35 minutes by car from the CBD.

The Brisbane River runs beside Moggill, and a short outing here is a ferry crossing, a barbecue by the water and a look at the river.

Ride the Moggill Ferry

The Moggill Ferry is a cable ferry that carries cars and walk-on passengers across the Brisbane River between Moggill and Riverview, on the Ipswich side. It holds up to 20 vehicles and is guided across by a steel cable. A ferry has run at the crossing since 1878, and the current one has been motorised since the 1940s. It is a tolled service for vehicles, with free passage for people on foot and on bikes.

The ferry runs daily. Check the official timetable for the day you plan to cross. Follow the signs and the crew’s instructions at the ramp.

The ferry is shut when the river floods. It was out of action in the 2011 floods, so check before you set out after heavy rain.

Moggill Ferry Reserve

Moggill Ferry Reserve is the park beside the ferry ramp, at 3882 Moggill Road. It has a playground, a barbecue, a picnic shelter, a fishing platform and a car park. There are no toilets, so use the ones at Westaway Park before you come.

It is a good spot to sit and watch the ferry load and cross, and the river bank is close enough for a quiet fish. Council marks part of the reserve behind the car park and shelter as the designated area for flying drones.

Westaway Park

Westaway Park, on Witty Road, is the suburb’s other family park. It has playground equipment, barbecues and toilets, and a pickleball court. It makes a handy stop with younger kids, because the toilets are here.

A little Moggill history

John Oxley recorded the area in 1823, and a township was surveyed in 1851. Moggill State School opened in 1866. The name comes from the Yuggera (Jagera) word for water dragon, and it is also the name of Moggill Creek, which feeds into the river.

The ferry is part of that story. It started in 1878, when Cobb and Co coaches used the crossing to link Ipswich and Brisbane. In the 2010 to 2011 floods the ferry broke free of its cable, and the captain and a former skipper tied it to the riverbank with ropes.

Planning your visit

• How long: One to two hours covers the ferry, a play and a picnic.
• Best time: Come in the morning or late afternoon, and check the ferry timetable first if you plan to cross.
• What to bring: Food and drinks, a hat, sunscreen and a fishing line if you like to cast one.

Getting there and parking

Moggill is about 26 km and about 35 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, along Moggill Road. Moggill Road is State Route 33. It links Moggill to Brisbane through Bellbowrie, Indooroopilly and Toowong, and it runs right through the suburb to the ferry. Moggill Ferry Reserve has its own car park, so you can leave the car there and walk down to the ramp.

By bus, Translink route 444 runs along Moggill Road through Moggill, Bellbowrie and Kenmore to the city. Use the Translink Journey Planner to find the stop nearest the park. There is no direct bus to Ipswich from Moggill. Route P443 is an express service to Roma Street, so it suits a trip into the city more than a short hop between the parks.

Check the ferry timetable before you cross.

Nearby

• Anstead Bushland Reserve – bush walks, a quarry lookout and a picnic shelter on Hawkesbury Road.
• Rocks Riverside Park – big riverside park with playgrounds and water play at Seventeen Mile Rocks.
• Jindalee – river park, pool and playground day out.
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – for koalas up close at Fig Tree Pocket.

More on the lakes and rivers and parks pages.

You might also like

• Sir John Chandler Park – riverside playground, barbecues and a dog area at Indooroopilly.
• Limestone Park (Eastern Heights)
• Darra (Brisbane)

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