The Garden Island boat ramp sits on the North Arm of the Port River, about 14 kilometres north-west of Adelaide's CBD, adjacent to a public reserve at Garden Island Road, Gillman.

It serves as a primary entry point into the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, a 118-square-kilometre protected area home to a resident pod of around 30 dolphins and visited regularly by hundreds more.

The facility is a three-lane concrete ramp situated beside the Angas Inlet Boat Club, with pontoons on both sides to assist launching and retrieval. It is popular with powered craft, anglers, kayakers, and canoeists.

The surrounding waterways — sheltered channels winding through mangroves and tidal creeks — offer access to Barker Inlet, Swan Alley Creek, and the Garden Island Ships' Graveyard heritage trail.

Paddlers and boaters should be aware of tidal currents and boat traffic, particularly during peak periods.