Sydney Game Fishing Club under threat in Watsons Bay Wharf upgrade plans

A Transport for NSW proposal would see the historic Sydney Game Fishing Club demolished to make way for a new Watsons Bay ferry wharf. Now fishing fanatics are up in arms.

The fight is on to save local Sydney fishing attraction Watsons Bay wharf.

To the mandarins of Transport for NSW it appears to be merely another piece of infrastructure.

As soulless as any bus stop or set of traffic lights.

But to the members of the Sydney Game Fishing Club, Watsons Bay Wharf is more than just wood pylons planted into Sydney Harbour for a ferry stop

The wharf has housed its clubhouse since the 1950s. Early versions of the club, more than 100 years old and one of the world’s oldest fishing clubs, date back to 1905.

Boats pull up to weight their catch, or, much more likely now, tell how they tagged and released a marlin or tuna or big shark for scientific study. Tales of the one that got away are exchanged over a beer in the cosy clubhouse. And kids are taught the ethics of sustainable fishing.

Members of the Sydney Game Fishing Club are furious about a planned upgrade at Watsons Bay Wharf which could see its historic clubhouse demolished. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The wharf is part of the Harbour’s living history.

But Transport for NSW plans to upgrade Watsons Bay Wharf. It has tabled two options. The first would see the club and old wharf stay and recreational boating facilities like public access mooring, retained, with a new wharf built alongside it.

The historic club has had a presence on the bay since the early 1900s.

The second, which the club believes is Transport for NSW’s preferred option, would see the existing wharf and the clubhouse demolished, and a new wharf built for the exclusive use of Sydney Ferries and other commercial operators.

“Anytime Transport touches a ferry wharf it leads to more restrictions for boaters and fishers,” club President Edward Aspden said.

“It would be a tragedy to lose our clubhouse — we are one of the oldest game fishing clubs in the entire world, the loss of that wharf would just be a devastating loss to the history of game fishing in Australia.”

The wharf lives long in the memory of older Sydneysiders. Back in the day, when living beside the harbour wasn’t restricted to the uber rich, big crowds would gather on weekends to watch giant sharks caught off the Sydney coast hoisted onto gantries to be weighed, oohing and aahing at their wicked teeth. It was a different time, when a good shark was a dead shark.

From the archives: Danna Shaw, 3, and her sister Deborah, 5, fishing off the Watsons Bay wharf.

The wharf has a long and rich history.

Mr Aspen said the club has for years instead promoted catch and release fishing, working with the Department of Primary Industries to tag and release fish for scientific study.

Mr Aspden said while many of their members are eastern suburbs locals, around 50 per cent come from Western Sydney to use the club’s unique harbour access.

Former club president and local mum Karen Wright said a big part of the club is educating kids and beginners on the laws and ethics of fishing.

“We are absolutely horrified and shattered … we are not Parramatta River, we don’t want a glass standard built project,” she said.

There are fears that with the club’s long term lease coming to an end this year, the project will be the perfect excuse to evict the club.

Transport for NSW said the project is in the early stages.

“We have developed two concept designs which are currently on display to obtain feedback from stakeholders and the community. Feedback we receive will then be used to further develop the plan for the upgrade,” a spokesman said.

“We understand that the wharf has a long history and we look forward to working with the community on its next chapter to make it accessible, safer, and more comfortable for customers and recreational boaters.”