This was published 6 months ago
Sydney’s new $78 million ferry wharves are set to open, without the ferries
Taxpayers have spent $78 million for two soon-to-be-opened ferry wharves near the entrance to Sydney’s Botany Bay, but the public faces a years-long wait for services between La Perouse and Kurnell because of state government indecision.
Named the “Kamay ferry wharves”, the two piers jut as far as 230 metres into Botany Bay and are due to be completed within the next six months. The cost of the wharves has skyrocketed from an original forecast of $18 million.
The new ferry wharf at Kurnell stretches out into Port Botany.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
While the new wharves can berth ferries up to 40 metres long, Transport for NSW said it had yet to determine the “most appropriate ferry operating model and party”, and declined to answer specific questions about regular services.
The troubled project was intended to clear the way for the resumption of ferry trips across the entrance to the bay for the first time since 1974 when the original wharves were destroyed during a storm.
Action for Public Transport spokesman Graeme Taylor said the $78 million cost of the wharves was a complete failure of planning.
“They are spending $78 million and there will be no ferry service at all,” he said.
Construction is nearing an end on the new ferry wharf at La Perouse. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
“We could be waiting for years before the government calls for expressions of interest to find a ferry operator. And if a private operator sets fares based on costs and there is no government subsidy, then the service will close within six months.”
A trip between La Perouse and Kurnell would take less than 20 minutes.
A spokesperson for Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the new ferry wharves were one of many projects mismanaged by the former Liberal government, which had never included planning or commissioning of a ferry service.
Within weeks of winning the 2023 election, he said the minister’s office was advised that the project had blown out by a further $13 million to take the total cost to $78 million.
The Minns government decided to complete the wharves because the cost of cancelling the project was put at $46 million and risked 162 jobs.
Construction of the two new wharves is due to be completed within the next six months.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
However, Coalition transport spokesperson Natalie Ward said the former government had intended to call for expressions of interest to operate services between the two wharves as construction progressed.
“When the minister for transport was asked in parliament a month ago about the [expressions of interest] or tendering progress, we were told that nothing had been done, and they didn’t even have a timeline for any progress,” she said.
“This lack of progress with the Kurnell-La Perouse ferries is just another example of Labor’s cuts and delays.”
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MLC Mark Banasiak said Transport for NSW had flip-flopped between making ferry services or Indigenous tourism the primary objective of the wharves.
Map of area for proposed ferry path from La Perouse to KurnellCredit: Transport for NSW
“Neither of them really stack up in terms of cost versus benefit if you combine them,” he said.
“It’s $78 million for wharves that won’t service their purpose. Any ferry services would seem to be years down the track if ever.”
Transport for NSW said it was continuing to work on future connections between the wharves, which would include berthing facilities for commercial and recreational vessels up to 20 metres, and safe areas for fishing.
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