A wallaby has been saved from drowning in a co-ordinated rescue from a local ferry skipper and some of his brave passengers after the native mammal decided to take a dip in Brisbane Waters this morning.

The wallaby - which would not have been taller than 90cm - was seen struggling against the outgoing tide in Cockle Creek, near Empire Bay, at about 9.50am.

Central Coast Ferries Senior Master Daniel Rond spotted the animal battling to stay afloat.

"One of the locals and myself were aboard my vessel and we looked up the channel. We thought it must have been a log, then maybe a dog, and as we got closer we saw it was a wallaby.

"The local bloke, Craig Hillman, and I looked at each other. We knew it wasn't going to survive much longer. Craig jumped in and brought the animal to shore, his wife Jo contacted the Australian wildlife group who checked it out."

After drying the animal off and checking it for injuries wildlife rangers released the animal in the nearby bushland.

Mr Rond has been on the water since 1996 and said it was only the second time he had seen a wet wallaby in the water.

Normally he added, the wildlife they see are of the marine variety.

"It's beautiful on the water up here. We've got dolphins that came by the ferry as well as a seal in the area," he said.

"There's also a big green sea turtle.

"There has been some bull sharks in the area but its been years since I've seen one".

Originally published as Ferry crew, brave locals rescue Wallaby from drowning