It is the main thoroughfare for reaching the eastern sea suburbs such as Sumner, as well as home to a number of cliff-top residences and businesses along the estuary front.

To the north lie the oxidation ponds from Christchurch's main sewage treatment works, which are within a large wildlife refuge and are inhabited by many species of bird life.

The suburb is named for the ferry that operated across the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River during the early period of settlement.

After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, a number of businesses have relocated to the suburb, making it a small hub and helping other shops and cafes grow.

Farming was the major industry of the area from its early years and parts of the Heathcote Valley are still in agricultural production.

Shipping at this time was also able to travel up the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River as far as the Christchurch Quay adjacent to the present Radley Street Bridge.

Later on, steamships brought the cost down, but the difficulties of bringing ships over the bar of the Estuary and up the river itself were a considerable inconvenience.

On 1 December 1863 New Zealand's first public railway line was opened from Ferrymead to the central city.

The locomotives and rolling stock were imported from Victoria, Australia, this being the main reason why the 5' 3" (1600 mm) railway gauge was adopted.

Stations were located in later years at Woolston (formerly Hillsborough), Opawa and Linwood (the last two as passenger halts until the end of suburban trains in 1972).