Delays Announced for New Sydney Fish Market Ferry Wharf

Sydneysiders and tourists will be waiting longer than anticipated to catch a ferry directly to the Sydney Fish Markets. The attraction’s new wharf will now open late next year, months later than previously planned and almost two years after the destination first welcomed shoppers.

The state government on Thursday unveiled the design for a $30 million pontoon wharf on the fish market’s eastern side. Shuttle ferry services will transport visitors between Barangaroo and the Fish Market Wharf stop when it opens in the last quarter of 2027.

The fish market opened at the head of Blackwattle Bay in Glebe in January, and ferry services were originally expected to begin in early 2027.

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neill said: “Our world-class fish market deserves world-class transport, and what better than our harbour ferry network to deliver it?

“The new fish market ferry wharf will give locals, workers and visitors another convenient way to get around, directly connecting this world-class destination with Barangaroo and the ferry network.”

Construction on the wharf is expected to begin early next year, and a temporary maritime exclusion zone preventing use of the space will be set up while work is under way. A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the exact size and duration of the exclusion zone would be decided after a marine works contractor is appointed.

One challenge is how the wharf will interact with existing users. Glebe rowers have voiced fears of a greater risk of dangerous collisions in Blackwattle Bay and Rozelle Bay.

Two wharf structures from the old fish market site will be removed to allow better access to the new wharf. The design is for a floating pontoon that rises and falls with the tide, making it easier for passengers to alight and board vessels. It will also be fully accessible, and include berthing for overflow fishing boats and recreational vessels.

The government has hailed the $836 million fish market as the harbour’s third crown jewel, alongside the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Since the fish market opened nine months ago, more than five million visitors have flocked through its doors.

Some were told to turn around and come back later on opening day, after larger than expected crowds.

Parramatta-class vessels, which have room for up to 200 passengers, or older First Fleet ferries are considered most likely to be used on the new route, but the final timetable and exact vessels are still being determined.

In the interim, visitors have been catching buses, the light rail, or driving. Residents have previously complained that limited on-site parking has caused motorists to spill over onto nearby residential streets of Glebe and Pyrmont.

The government is spending $40 million on upgrades to the nearby Wentworth Park light rail stop, and added 150 extra weekly services to the L1 Dulwich Hill Line.

Detailed designs for the wharf are being finalised. Contracts to build the ferry pontoon hull and other elements of the wharf to be manufactured offsite and installed later have yet to be awarded.

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