Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf: New $5.6m wharf officially opens

For years, king tides have forced the old Woy Woy wharf underwater and stopped local services. The new $5.6m wharf is officially open and designed to cope with severe weather events.

It’s been on the wish list for may years and now the long awaited new $5.6m Woy Woy Town Centre has opened.

Central Coast Council has cut the tape on what they have described as the coast’s “flagship” wharf which has floating pontoon, improved accessibility, solar lighting and smart benches with mobile phone charging capability.

It’s the largest wharf project to be completed across the coast and will be able to withstand the king tides that have rendered the wharf inaccessible in the past. Local business owners and residents have been calling for action for years with disability access impossible during high tides.

The new wharf is designed to cope with “most weather conditions” and rise and fall with Brisbane Water’s varying tides.

The new Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf has been completed. Picture: Facebook

Woy Woy Wharf went underwater when a "super blue blood moon" triggered a third king tide in February 2018. Picture: Richard Noone

The council’s director of infrastructure services, Boris Bolgoff said the new wharf will improve the daily commute and will also be popular with locals across the region and visitors.

“The original wharf would become submerged during King Tide’s and severe weather conditions, but the new wharf is designed to ensure this no longer occurs,” he said.

“Using a floating pontoon allows the wharf to rise and fall with the tide conditions served up by Brisbane Water and this ensures access to ferry services, even during challenging weather conditions.

“We have also future-proofed this important amenity by ensuring it can dock vessels up 35-metres and 250 tonnes.”

The new wharf officially opened on Monday.

The new wharf has a floating pontoon designed to cope with rising tides.

Other features of the wharf include mounting points for wheelchair lifting devices on the

pontoon, covered pontoon gangway and passenger shelter with solar lighting. There is also a dedicated fishing area located on the boardwalk at the corner of The Boulevarde and Brisbane

Water Drive

“We have also made a number of improvements to the immediate surrounds including a boardwalk made from recycled plastic decking, dedicated fishing area, widened pathway, smart benches with mobile phone charging capability, banner poles and landscaping with salt tolerant trees,” Mr Bolgoff said.

Central Coast Ferries have been calling for a new wharf for many years.

The new Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf was funded to the tune of $3.99m from the State Government and $1.61m from council.

Central Coast Parliamentary Secretary Adam Crouch said the NSW Government was proud to

contribute to the project.

“This is Central Coast Council’s largest wharf project ever undertaken and I want to congratulate the project team for getting the job done,” Mr Crouch said.

“The old wharf became submerged during king tides and quite frankly was not fit for purpose. “The new floating pontoon will rise and fall with the tide to reduce disruption and improve disability access.”

Central Coast Parliamentary Secretary Adam Crouch.

Council’s Administrator Rik Hart said the new wharf

Woy Woy Town Centre Wharf is one of serval recent wharf upgrades completed by Council with State Government funding for Davistown, Empire Bay, Spencer and South Tacoma.

Council’s Administrator Rik Hart said the wharf was a facility the coast could be proud of.

“The opening of this flagship wharf for the Coast will be welcome news for commuters who will use the amenity daily but it is also great news for the Coast more broadly,” Mr Hart said.

“It is a highly functional resource but also has aesthetic appeal and will draw more locals and visitors to Woy Woy and its many culinary and retail delights.”