La Perouse to Kurnell ferry route part of revival to peninsulas
AFTER a 44-year absence, ferries will return to Botany Bay as part of a plan to transform Kamay Botany Bay National Park into a thriving tourist destination.
Southern Courier
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PASSENGER ferries will navigate the waters of Botany Bay as part of a $50 million master plan to redevelop the site where Captain James Cook first encountered indigenous Australians.
The Kamay Botany Bay Master Plan was introduced by Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison on Saturday.
A service between La Perouse and Kurnell will be launched to attract visitors to the national park, where a new “meeting place precinct” will be designed.
A permanent aquatic memorial will be the centrepiece, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the meeting of British and Aboriginal cultures on April 29, 1770.
New walkways, a museum, beach park, visitors centre, botanic garden and upgrades to the broader national park will complete the precinct plan.
“The master plan considers the proposed wharves an integral part of the overall design for the upgraded Kurnell Precinct,” the plan read.
“The wharves and a ferry connection would provide for an exciting new visitor experience.”
Ferries disappeared from the bay when the original wharves were destroyed by a storm in 1974, ending a service that began in the 1890s.
Attempts to revive the service started in 1999 and last year the State Government released a study to determine whether the public transport link was feasible.
It found the service would not be commercially viable for commuters only and would need the support of tourists.
The new plan addresses the significance of the location to Aboriginal people and is working to engage the indigenous community further.
View the plan at environment.nsw.gov.au
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