Sydney marinas float expansion plans as boat ownership soars

Marinas across Sydney Harbour are eyeing major expansion works as rising boat ownership causes traffic gridlock on waterways and ‘road rage’ at many of the city’s ramps and jetties.

Marinas across Sydney Harbour are eyeing upgrade and expansion works as rising boat ownership during Covid causes traffic gridlock on the water and “road rage” at many of the city’s ramps and jetties.

Kirribilli Marina is the latest harbour complex to release upgrade plans in a move primarily aimed at meeting demand for places for wider privately owned vessels to dock.

The $950,000 project would involve dredging sections of Careening Cove, reconfiguring the marina, replacing a fixed jetty with a finger pontoon, installing two finger pontoons and relocating mooring piles.

A photo of Kirribilli Marina.

The commercial marina currently has capacity for one 24m boat, two 19.3m boats and twelve vessels up to 14m and under.

Marina manager Bronwyn Jobson said the current facility was no longer meeting market demand and said the minor upgrades would bring the facility up to modern standards.

“The demand we’re seeing is for berths for wider boats, so by reducing the number of berths by one we’ll be able to accommodate wider vessels,” she said.

“Some of our boats are charter boats and in general boats at the moment are becoming larger – where people used to drive little cars, now they want big spacious cars – it’s the same for boats.”

Elsewhere on Sydney Harbour, Smiths and Ferguson’s at The Spit which has been given approval by Mosman Council to build six new marine berths for a wider range of vessels.

The marina wants to accommodate larger vessels.

Noakes Shipyard in McMahons Point also wants to build a new floating dry dock for larger vessels of up to 750 tonnes. The proposal is currently subject to a Land and Environment Court challenge against North Sydney Council.

Other recent projects have been sunk in the water including plans for a new floating pontoon and boat crane at Patton’s Slipway in Kirribilli which was rejected by the Sydney North Planning Panel.

A major expansion of Gladesville Bridge Marina was similarly knocked back by the Sydney East City Planning Panel last year after opposition from local residents.

Smiths and Ferguson’s at The Spit has been given approval to expand the marina.

New figures show demand for private moorings has partly been fuelled by increased boat ownership during the Covid pandemic.

Transport for NSW’s latest annual report shows it netted $27.5 million in boat registration income in 2021 – up from $15.5 million in the previous year.

A NSW Maritime study in 2010 predicted boat ownership in Sydney will increase by 45 per cent by 2031, resulting in an additional 17,501 boats larger than 6m taking sail in the harbour over the next decade.

Broken Bay Boat Sales owner Dave Hewett said demand was a knock on effect of Australia’s international border closures.

“People aren’t spending money going overseas so instead they’re buying boats,” he said.

“They’re after anything that floats and there’s been a lot more people buying second hand and boats changing hands.

“Eventually we’re going to need to put more places to them and marinas will need to expand, it’s an absolute necessity.”

A photo of oysters on the piles at Kirribilli Marina.

Back in Kirribilli, Ms Jobson said soaring boat ownership has brought about an increase in traffic on Sydney Harbour along with road rage at once tranquil ramps and jetties.

“You go to any boat ramp and there’s queues of people trying to get their boats in and out and you’ve got road rage because some of these young blokes don’t want to wait in queues,” she said.

“At Tunks Park on a weekend it’s absolute pandemonium.”

Plans by Kirribilli Marina have included dredging studies which found potential impacts were expected to be “minor” and silt curtains would be used as a mitigation measure during the process.

“Overall, the proposed development will improve the commercial operations of the marina and ensure its viability well into the future,” the plans stated.

“The development will also enhance the reputation of the marina as it is seen to be evolving with marina design.”

The proposal is currently under assessment by North Sydney Council.