Sydney's New $800 Million Fish Market is Officially Open!

After years of planning, budget blowouts and project delays, Sydney's new $800 million fish market is now open. Touted as the most significant harbourside build since the iconic Opera House, the new centre is expected to double the market's annual visitor numbers to 6 million. The path to realising the redevelopment has been far from straightforward, with retailers identifying a number of teething issues ahead of the market opening. How did we get here? Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont has been home to Sydney Fish Market since 1966, with the centre the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. In decades past, those in the market for fresh fish would huddle around an auctioneer proudly brandishing samples of seafood, with the produce sold to the highest bidder. Concerns had been raised about the deteriorating condition of the marketplace before the redevelopment was first announced by the NSW Liberal government in 2016. The project had blown its original budget of $250 million by 2019, when the state government committed an additional $500 million to the rebuild. By the time it was complete, the budget had jumped again to $836 million. After a number of delays, an opening date was set for the new market last year. What's new? Housed underneath a 200-metre-wide canopy roof, the new market is about 20 per cent larger than its predecessor. Operating hours have also been expanded, with the market shutting at 10pm to accommodate millions of visitors each year. About 40 retailers will be based at the facility, including all the old market's tenants and more than 20 new businesses. These include a range of fresh seafood outlets, speciality stores and restaurants and cafes. Celebrity chef and restaurateur Luke Nguyen will be among the new faces at the market, where he will launch Lua Restaurant and Bar. Award-winning gelateria Cow and the Moon will serve icy treats in the new space, with inner west institution Dirty Red to open the market's first small bar, called Little Red Wine Bar. Not all businesses will be up and running straight away, with about a dozen retailers to open in the days and weeks to come. For businesses, the new centre includes dedicated wharves where commercial fishing boats can unload their catch directly into the market. Wholesale and auction facilities have been given a face-lift, and large-scale ice-making and crate-washing infrastructure has been installed to boost business efficiency. Where is the new Sydney Fish Market? The new fish market has been built on a wharf adjacent to the existing site, which has been slated for residential redevelopment. Parking is limited at the new marketplace and traffic is expected to be heavy following the opening, with authorities recommending using public transport when visiting the centre. The old Fish Market light rail stop will be renamed to Bank Street and commuters should instead get off at Wentworth Park, which is located about 400m away from the new venue. About $40 million will be spent on accessibility upgrades to the Wentworth Park stop, including the installation of new lifts, ramps, lighting and CCTV to make getting to the fish market easier. An additional 150 weekly services have been added to the L1 Dulwich Hill Line in anticipation of the spike in demand. Evening services will be more frequent, with trams to run every 10 minutes from 7pm to 9pm Sunday to Thursday, and between 7pm and 10pm every Friday and Saturday. Commuters can continue to use bus routes 389 and 501 serving Pyrmont and Ultimo to access the new site. About $30 million has also been allocated to building a commuter wharf at Blackwattle Bay, which will be supported by a ferry service linking the new fish market to Barangaroo. The project is still in the design phase and ferry services are not expected to start until some time in 2027.