Sydney Harbour to receive $45 million for repair and conservation following ‘decade of neglect’

With Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek claiming Sydney Harbour’s culturally and environmentally significant sites have endured “a decade of neglect”, $45 million will be allocated in the 2023-24 Budget for its repair and conservation.

Minister Plibersek noted “our world-famous Sydney Harbour is a source of pride, a magnet for tourists and a hub of business, trade and city life and yet the previous government badly bungled the management of this national treasure.

“The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is responsible for conserving and managing nine iconic sites around the harbour. After a decade of neglect by the previous government, many of these sites are in a dangerous state of disrepair, putting their environmental and heritage values at risk.”

At the World Heritage-listed Cockatoo Island/Wareamah, sea walls are cracked, pylons holding up wharves are eroding, and buildings are closed due to safety concerns.

Without urgent action, the future of these famous sites is at risk. The new funding includes:

• $2.6 million to repair critical infrastructure including unstable sea walls and deteriorating wharfs

• $7.6 million to repair immediate safety concerns such as rock falls from cliffs

• $26.5 million to replace rotting wharves and docks

• $5.0 million for critical maintenance work to keep sites open and safe

• $3.5 million for heritage advice and project management.

Minister Plibersek added “Sydney Harbour is one of Australia’s most prominent faces to the world. The Trust sites alone attract almost two million visitors every year, generating thousands of jobs and supporting the city’s economy.

“It also is a priceless site of Australian history – telling our story of 65,000 years of First Nations connection and culture, the colonial period which began on its shores, the military posts which have defended it, and the waves of new Australians who have disembarked there.”

Minister Plibersek advised that the Federal Government’s investment is to ensure “our precious places and support the Australians who manage them, so they can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

Image.Cockatoo Island Credit: HPG