Botany Bay: First look at new wharves to reinstate La Perouse to Kurnell ferry

Plans to reinstate a ferry service in Botany Bay for tourists and commuters have taken a big step forward with detailed plans and new images revealed.

Detailed plans including fresh artist images have now been released for a passenger ferry service in Botany Bay which could see a historic service reinstated between La Perouse and Kurnell.

Ferries disappeared from the bay after wharves which catered for the service were destroyed by a storm in 1974.

Transport for NSW has been working on plans to bring back the ferries in recent years.

Artist impression of the new La Perouse wharf.

Artist impression of the La Perouse wharf.

The project took a big step forward on Wednesday when detailed plans were released including artist images of the two proposed wharves at La Perouse and Kurnell.

Currently the only connection between La Perouse and Kurnell is by road which can take well over an hour depending on traffic.

“The primary purpose of this infrastructure would be to enable the return of the public ferry service that operated between La Perouse and Kurnell intermittently for 75 years until the wharves were damaged in 1974 by a heavy storm,” the proposal read.

The project is part of a wider masterplan to improve Kamay Botany Bay National Park, which includes the meeting place between Aboriginals and Captain Cook’s crew from the Endeavour in 1770 at Kurnell.

Artist impression of the proposed Kurnell wharf.

The ferry service in Botany Bay in the early 1900s. Picture: City of Sydney Archives

“Demand for the project is expected to come from tourists wanting access to the national park and commuters travelling north from Kurnell,” the proposal stated.

The main features of the project include demolition of a viewing platform at Kurnell and construction of two wharves at La Perouse and Kurnell to cater for ferries (up to 40m in length) as well as commercial and recreational vessels (up to 20m in length).

Fishing would be permitted on both wharves.

The wharves would extend about 180m at La Perouse and 230m at Kurnell from the shoreline.

Location for the two proposed wharves.

Map of the proposed project.

Pending approval, the project is estimated to take about 13 months to complete and construction is expected to begin next year.

Public submissions are open until August 11 and you can place feedback here as well as find more information on the project.

The project does not include an increase in public transport but there are currently public buses which stop near both proposed wharves.

In April 2018, the Prime Minister and Federal Treasurer announced funding towards the ferry wharves project.