Upgrade for Sydney Fish Market

Sydney’s iconic Fish Market is about to undergo a $40 million upgrade over two years.

The renovations will result in increased access to the foreshore, improved seating and public amenities, multilevel undercover parking and additional retail and wholesale outlets.

“It’s terrific news for seafood consumers [and] it’s terrific news for tourists,” said Managing Director Grahame Turk.

“I reckon we’ve got the best seafood in the world and we present it in probably the worst environment … we need to be able to present that in a way that’s up to scratch with the quality of the product.”

Mr Turk said he was grateful that the New South Wales Government had committed funding to the project.

“It’s very much a partnership and the fact that they’ve come to the party is a victory for good sense,” he said.

He said the upgrade would lead to more of the Fish Market’s much coveted waterfront seating.

“It really is about opening up the waterfront to the public,” he said.

“[But] we need to make sure that we don’t change the atmosphere of the place … the message has been very clear from the public that while they’d like to see it improved … they certainly don’t want to lose that ambience of the fish market … we don’t want to lose that sense of place that it has.”

Works is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012, with construction beginning immediately upon planning approval.