The ferry, also called the Tuapeka punt, is funded by the Clutha District Council under its road maintenance contracts and is treated much like a bridge - use of the ferry is free of charge.
Council district assets manager Jules Witt said it was decided to implement the extended hours after reviewing roading budgets.
Last year, the council decided to extend the hours of the ferry operation after requests from the public. The New Zealand Transport Agency funds 60% of the punt's costs.
Usually, there is no change to use the service from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 10am and then from 4pm to 6pm, but from Saturday the ferry will also operate at weekends, at the same hours.
Special crossings are also available outside designated hours, at the council's discretion.
Clutha Valley ward councillor Stewart Cowie said the punt was "quite iconic" and is glad its hours have been extended.
"Hopefully, it will be well used. It's a bit of a novelty as well as being used as a bridge."
He said many locals - farmers in particular - used the punt to access land on the other side of the Clutha River.
Clutha Valley and Tuapeka Historic Trust chairman Alan Duthie said the punt was an important part of the area's history and he was glad it would be running more often.
The trust hoped the extended hours would bring more visitors to the area, particularly as it planned to restore some of Tuapeka Mouth's old buildings.
The punt is operated by Peter Dickson but council contractors had trained operators to fill in for Mr Dickson when he was not working, and to run the weekend service.
The ferry is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and is believed to be the last water-driven public punt in the southern hemisphere.
It ferries people and vehicles across the Clutha River just downstream from where the Tuapeka River meets the Clutha, 37km northwest of Balclutha.
The punt, opened in 1896, was regularly used by farmers and others to cross the river.
Mr Witt said about $150,000 worth of repair and maintenance work was in the budget for the financial year, including replacing the timber deck and handrails on both ramps, tightening all bolts, replacing steel beams on one ramp and repainting the pontoon.
Constructing a new anchor system on the true left bank to help with easier operation in a flood was also budgeted for.
However, current weight restrictions remain until this work is carried out. Mr Witt said the repairs were not essential and could be deferred by the council.
The ferry can carry a combination of two motor vehicles (combined weight of four tonnes) and 29 passengers. The original design load capacity of the ferry is one heavy or two light trucks, or one bus, or three cars, or one heavy caravan, providing freeboard is not less than 500mm and there are no more than 29 passengers.
Mr Witt said the council may revisit the hours - particularly next winter - if usage dropped off significantly.
The Tuapeka Mouth Ferry will operate from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm, seven days a week, from September 1.
