THE Original Tea Gardens Ferry operates a daily return ferry service between Nelson Bay and Tea Gardens.

Crossing the bay is a must for visitors and locals to the blue water wonderland of Port Stephens and Myall Coast.

The friendly and knowledgeable crew will provide informative commentary while you take in the panoramic views of Port Stephens and the Myall River.

Sit back and relax as you travel through Port Stephens Marine Park, keeping an eye out for dingoes, turtles, seabirds and the bay’s resident dolphins.

Serving the Port Stephens and Myall Coast community for over 30 years, operators of The Original Tea Gardens Ferry aim to return the iconic vessels to their heritage glory.

Kerrie Jeffreys, one of a group of three Port Stephens locals who took over operation of the ferries last September, told News Of The Area of her passion for restoring the vintage vessels.

“I had made a random comment that I’d love to hand sand an old timber boat and here I am,” she said.

“There is something romantic about the old girls or classy ladies, and this is the direction we intend to take them.

“We will spit and polish them back to their former glory.”

A former international tour guide, Kerrie loves the interaction with her passengers.

“As a born storyteller, sharing the history of the boats is a passion of mine and our guests seem to connect with the stories.

“Our skippers provide amazing commentary of our beautiful waterway but I’m all about the ferries,” Kerrie said.