TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY


$10 MILLION FOR NEW, FREE SWIMMING SPOT ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

 
A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will deliver a new free-swimming spot right on our iconic Sydney Harbour.

The Albanese Labor Government will invest $10.2 million to deliver a new pool at World Heritage-listed Cockatoo Island/Wareamah, at the junction of Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers.

The funding will be used to convert an old convict-built sandstone slipway, the Fitzroy Dry Dock, into a new harbour swimming spot for families and visitors to enjoy.

The Fitzroy Dry Dock is Australia’s only surviving dry dock built by convicts to service ships in the Royal Navy. When it was completed in 1857, it was the largest dry dock in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest in the world.

Over recent years, the Island has been transformed into an arts and culture precinct, opening it up to the public and creating new ways to recognise the First Nations, convict, military and industrial ship building heritage of the place.

This project will remediate the land around the dry dock, clean up the water and establish a new harbour pool and a kayak slipway. It will preserve the heritage values of the heritage slipway that date from the shipyard era, while giving it a new life for visitors to enjoy.

Sydney Harbour is recognised around the world. Sydney Harbour Federation Trust sites alone attract almost two million visitors every year, generating thousands of jobs and supporting the city’s economy.

Thanks to Labor, work is well underway to fix critical infrastructure for Harbour Trust properties like sea walls, wharves and historic buildings. This additional investment is the next step in attracting more visitors to Cockatoo Island, which means more opportunities for the accommodation and hospitality businesses already there, and new opportunities for additional visitor attractions.  

The Government invested $45.2 million in the 2023-24 Budget to address the critical backlog of repair work to Sydney Harbour Trust properties left behind by the Liberals and Nationals.
 
Consistent with past practice, election commitments will be delivered in line with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles.
 
Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:

“Whether it’s picnics, going for a walk or going for a swim, Australians love spending time outdoors.

“You shouldn’t need a harbourside mansion to enjoy the most beautiful harbour in the world. I want Australian families and visitors from around the world to be able to jump on a ferry with a picnic basket, their cossies and a towel, and spend the day enjoying million-dollar views for free.

“Cockatoo Island/Wareamah is the jewel in the crown of Sydney Harbour but right now the water off the island is not safe to swim in. Our funding will rehabilitate the historic dry dock and give it new life as it attracts swimmers from around Sydney and around the world.

“From Sydney Olympic Park to Cockatoo Island is about half an hour on the ferry, but families will feel like they have found a little oasis in our busy city – an oasis that anyone can enjoy.”

SATURDAY, 12 APRIL 2025