What’s in and out for new ferry wharves along busy Sydney route

The NSW government has decided against opening a ferry wharf at Birkenhead Point in Sydney’s inner west but is looking at building one in the fast-growing suburb of Rhodes amid strong demand for Parramatta River ferries.

With packed ferries leaving people behind on wharves at busy times, the government is facing renewed calls to put on more services, stops and larger ferries to cater for growing populations in suburbs along the river.

Transport for NSW coordinator general Howard Collins said there were no plans for a ferry wharf at Birkenhead Point “given other priorities” after an investigation into opening stops at both it and Rhodes.

Fast-growing areas along the Parramatta River are boosting demand for ferry services. Credit: Nick Moir

However, he said the agency was still looking at a new wharf at the Rhodes precinct, a major slice of which was rezoned in 2021 for apartment towers up to 45 storeys. Planning for the area several years ago envisaged a 15 metre-wide waterfront promenade and a ferry wharf.

Coalition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward said eastbound ferries on the F3 Parramatta River route were often full after picking up people at the first few stops on weekends.

Collins said extra ferries were regularly put on the route during summer because it was “very popular”, and the government’s new fleet of Parramatta River-class vessels would be more reliable than those they were replacing.

The Frances Bodkin is one of seven new Parramatta River-class ferries ordered by the state government.Credit: Steven Siewert

“[We are] also looking further with the midterm ferry fleet and service strategy to ensure that, whilst we see ferry usage grow, that we are particularly focused on that western Sydney and inner-harbour service,” he said.

“Obviously, as Olympic Park becomes much more of a transport hub, we’ve got to make sure the river services match.”

Birkenhead Point in Drummoyne is also well-known for its marina and waterfront shopping centre, which can suffer road congestion at busy periods.

Based on Drummoyne’s forecast population growth, Transport for NSW has decided the area’s transport needs can be met through existing bus services in the short to medium term.

Two of the seven-strong fleet of new catamaran ferries, which were ordered by the government to replace Rivercat vessels, are operating on the F3 Parramatta River route. A third Parramatta River-class vessel is due to sail to Sydney shortly from shipbuilders’ yards in Hobart.

Action for Public Transport spokesman Graeme Taylor said a long-term plan for ferry services on the Parramatta River was needed due to population growth in suburbs such as Rhodes. “The government needs to make some strong decisions about new wharves and larger ferries, and extend the life of the existing Rivercats,” he said.

The decades-old Rivercats can carry 230 passengers whereas the replacement Parramatta River-class vessels are registered for 200 people.

However, Collins said the older Rivercats were only slightly bigger than the new vessels, which were significantly more fuel efficient. “What we’re trying to do is rationalise, and rather than have small numbers of special vessels manufactured over a life, we’re trying to ensure we have a fleet which is pretty easy to maintain,” he said.

The government-owned fleet, which is operated by French company Transdev, totals 40 ferries of various types.

The transport agency is still looking to reinstate ferry services at the Elliott Street wharf in west Balmain, which was an election promise of the Minns government.

Labor also vowed before the state poll early last year to create two new ferry stops at Rozelle Bay in Annandale and at Pirrama Park wharf in Pyrmont, and to review the frequency of services to Drummoyne.

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