‘Super popular’: La Perouse becomes latest Sydney craze amid $78 million ferry fail

One of Sydney’s smallest suburbs has become both a tourist and fishing craze – and there is one reason why.

A small suburb in the eastern suburbs is quickly becoming one of Sydney’s most popular tourism and fishing spots after a spectacular $78 million debacle left it without a ferry wharf.

La Perouse has a population of just 366 according to the most recent ABS census, but has recently become one of the city’s most popular sunset spots — leading to wild scenes around sunset as hundreds of fishers make their way down at dusk.

Not everyone is impressed though with locals accusing the fishers — many of whom are from western Sydney — of “trashing” the wharf and leaving behind a mess.

The number of visitors has increased after the opening of two Kamay Wharves in March at La Perouse and Kurnell, which took 20 months to build and cost $78 million.

The wharves were built to run ferries between Kurnell and La Perouse; however, the NSW Government is struggling to find an operator.

In the meantime, the wharf has been opened for fishing and has quickly become one of Sydney’s most attractive spots for fishers.

The new fishing-dedicated wharf in La Perouse. Picture: News Corp Australia

News.com.au visited La Perouse on Wednesday and found that most of the fishers had come from out of the area after hearing about the new wharf online.

One fisher from Mount Druitt said he heard about the wharf on Instagram and said La Perouse was a “super popular” spot for fishing.

He said most people fish for salmon or squid in the area and kingfish when the water warms up.

“A lot of people come down here to the rocks just to take photos at sunset, which makes it a bit hard to fish,” he said.

The wharf get jam packed.

Fishers coming out at dusk.

“It’s been super popular since the wharf has been built.”

Another fisher from Campbelltown was fishing with his father.

“It’s actually our first time out here. We heard about it from Facebook,” he said.

Another man from out west was fishing alongside his mate from Malabar.

“Honestly we don’t really catch much, but it’s a good spot,” he said.

The wharf being opened for fishing has attracted some controversy from locals, with some saying the area is often left “a mess”.

“La Perouse new wharf trashed already by the fishing,” one irate local said. “I couldn’t believe the mess left behind by those fishing. Abosolutely no regard or respect for the new wharf.

“Way too many fishing with four or five rods each. This is mot responsible fishing, just overkill.”

Some locals have been left unimpressed by the influx of fishers. Picture: Supplied

NSW Fisheries posted a warning to local fishers. Picture: Facebook

The complaints led Fisheries NSW to warn fishers in the area to “do the right thing”.

“It’s great to see how many people are fishing these new wharves,” they said in a social media post.

“However, it is clear some fishers are not using common sense or doing the right thing.

“Let’s set an example and show we can keep these great facilities clean for everyone to use.”

The two wharves are costing taxpayers more than $500,000 a year in maintenance as the state government continues to try to find a contractor to run the ferries.

Transport for NSW posted a call out for expressions of interest in July last year but failed to receive a single application.

The wharves were originally supposed to cost $18 million, however, costs blew out by $60 million.

The Kamay Wharf at La Perouse, which has quickly come become a hit for the Sydney fishing community after opening in March. Picture: Chris Huang / Matrix

Ferries originally travelled between the two locations since 1890s before a storm destroyed the wharves in 1974.

In a statement from Transport for NSW, the state government said they were eager to reinstate the ferry services in the future.

“There are currently no confirmed ferry services between La Perouse and Kurnell following an unsuccessful Expression of Interest campaign in 2024,” the statement provided to news.com.au said.

“Transport will re-visit potential opportunities in the future and remain open to private sector interest.”

Influencers embrace La Perouse’s ‘golden hour’

La Perouse has also become a popular tourist spot after The Cape Banks walking trail and heritage-listed Bare Island were flagged as long-term tourism investments by the state government back in 2018.

Tours run at Bare Island Fort – which was built in the 1880s to protect Botany Bay from a potential Russian invasion – every Sunday at $15 a pop.

At sunset each day, tourists and influencers alike can now be spotted taking photos along La Perouse’s coastline.

Photos being taken at La Perouse on Wednesday. Picture: News Corp Australia

Earlier this year, Randwick City Council endorsed a plan to transform the La Perouse headland into a $100 million “First Nations Cultural Precinct” including a “bush tucker restaurant” and an exhibition space.

“This co-designed project will celebrate living culture, restore heritage buildings, create local jobs and welcome the return of cultural objects to Country,” Randwick Council said in May.