The $78 million ferry wharves that threaten to be white elephants on water

Successive NSW governments have pushed ahead to rebuild ferry wharves on opposite sides of Botany Bay at La Perouse and Kurnell, but no ferry operators want to run a commercial service across the bay, leaving the project idle.

They are the $78 million Botany Bay ferry wharves – built with taxpayers’ money – that threaten to stand as an embarrassing white elephant legacy for successive NSW governments.

The La Perouse and Kurnell wharves opened late last month almost five years after they were earmarked for reconstruction to enable a ferry service across the bay to resume after 50 years.

But while the work is complete and the wharves available for public use, there are no ferries commissioned and seemingly no prospect of a service being introduced in the short-term.

Transport for NSW called for Expressions of Interest last July. When the EOI closed two months later, there were no formal responses from ferry operators.

Kids jumping off the rebuilt wharf at La Perouse on Sunday. Picture: Chris Huang (Matrix)

Upper House MP Mark Banasiak from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party told The Daily Telegraph: “It highlights how the project was flawed from the beginning.”

Mr Banasiak said the previous Liberal government “clearly didn’t do their homework” before green lighting the work and Labor could have “walked away from the project rather than go ahead and finish something they didn’t really support”.

“If a company could come in, run a ferry service and be profitable, you would have had people lining up to put in a tender application,” he added.

“But obviously operators have looked at it and there’s no demand for a service.

“I can’t understand what the obsession was for getting this done. Where does the motivation lie spending that sort of money on a dead duck, a white elephant?

“In terms of a fishing resource for my constituents, it’s great. But a $78 million price tag? Was that value for money for taxpayers?”

Local resident Tom Vardaoulis shows off the 52cm Bonito fish he caught off the ferry wharf at La Perouse on Sunday morning. Picture: Chris Huang (Matrix)

According to a Transport for NSW community update in February: “The wharves have been designed for multiple uses including short term drop-off and pick-up berthing facilities for commercial and recreational vessels, safe areas for fishing, gathering places with seating and shade...”

A spokesman for Transport Minister John Graham told this masthead: “This is one of the many projects mismanaged by the former Liberal Government.”

He said initial estimates for the project were $18 million but continued to blow out with the Minns Government informed weeks after taking power the cost for completion had climbed to $78 million.

“The cost to taxpayers for cancelling the project was estimated at $46 million with an impact on 162 jobs,” the spokesman said.

He confirmed the government had sought a commercial ferry operator to reignite a service that was abandoned in 1974 after the wharves were storm damaged.

“However, potentially interested parties did not believe the service was commercially viable at this time,” he said.

“Transport will revisit potential opportunities in the future and remains open to private sector interest.”

Transport for NSW has gone fishing for a ferry operator to run a service between La Persouse and Kurnell but has come up empty handed to date. Picture: Chris Huang (Matrix)

Shadow Transport Minister Natalie Ward said: “This is a classic case of the Liberals and Nationals transforming NSW infrastructure, but Labor blowing the budget so that they can’t and won’t capitalise on the opportunities presented at iconic, historic and scenic locations.

“That’s why they haven’t offered a subsidy to attract a ferry operator.

“This means the Government is squandering the tourist and leisure opportunities planned, funded and built by federal and state Coalition Governments.”

Amid the political finger pointing, local residents have embraced the new wharves.

Tom Vardaoulis of Matraville said the La Perouse facility was “great”.

“It’s fantastic to see kids learning to fish and jumping off the wharf to swim,” he added. “I’ve had a good day too. Caught a 52cm Bonito off the wharf and a 2kg octopus.”

Jade Gallagher from Mascot took her children and their friends to the La Perouse wharf, saying: “They’ve been jumping in, having a great time. We saw other children snorkelling and catching crabs. It’s nice to see everyone getting together.”

Originally published as The $78 million ferry wharves that threaten to be white elephants on water