Ferry fees were initially waived until April 30, 2021 to provide efficient movement of emergency services and clean-up volunteers after the flood.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council unanimously agreed at its April meeting to extend the waiving of ferry fees and charges until the Hibbard ferry is reintroduced into service.

Peta Pinson, who raised the ferry fee waiver extension in a mayoral minute, said there was only one ferry servicing the North Shore.

"This is causing some undue hardship and a great deal of frustration as well, and our friends at the North Shore, as all our friends in the community, have been through so much already," Cr Pinson said.

"We don't need to make their lives any harder than it already is."

Cr Pinson said she raised the ferry fee waiver extension issue as a matter of urgency so residents could get on with cleaning up and repairing their homes after the floods as best they could while not being burdened by the cost of the ferry service.

The Hibbard Ferry remains out of action for essential maintenance with the service delayed due to the floods.

That puts extra pressure on the Settlement Point Ferry.

Cr Rob Turner raised a question about foregone income while ferry fees were on hold.

Council director Rebecca Olsen said the council put the estimate for the first month in the vicinity of $40,000 to $50,000, while the extension is expected to be around $80,000 to $100,000.

Cr Turner asked the mayor which budget she suggested the money come from.

Cr Pinson said she suggested the money would come from reserves at this point until the council approached the state government with the final costs and asked for their assistance.

Cr Geoff Hawkins asked if that would be potentially claimable by council as part of the disaster funding recovery.

Council's chief executive officer Dr Clare Allen said the council would be attempting to reclaim that money.

"The first lot of fees we know there is a strong likelihood we will get that money back," she said.

The council will credit any pre-purchased passes for ferry use over this period in the new pass purchase cycle.

Ferry use data will continue to be recorded for the purposes of future consideration of extension to ferry hours.

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