Following the unanimous rejection by Hunters Hill Council and the Sydney North Planning Panel of DA 20230094 Alterations & Additions to the Woolwich Marina (see our webpost of 3 March 2024) the Applicant appealed to the Land and Environment Court (LEC).
The Trust and other community groups joined with Council as ‘parties’ to oppose this development (see our webpost of 25 August 2024) and an onsite LEC Conciliation was held on 19 September 2024 with a second day planned for 1 November 2024. That date was subsequently moved to allow the Applicant time to produce more documentation – but the day before this scheduled hearing – the Applicant advised of their intention to terminate the Conciliation Conference.
This has resulted in a move to a full appeal hearing at the Land and Environment Court from 4 to 17 September 2025.
The Applicant’s new amended proposal has now been received by Hunters Hill Council and can be viewed at https://connect.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/woolwich-marina-proposed-development. Still missing are reports on aboriginal heritage, heritage, maritime archaeology and an updated preliminary site investigation.
These new plans now position the extended Marina completely around the Kelly’s Bush foreshore (as image above). This represents an unacceptable takeover of a public amenity for private gain and is totally incompatible with the significance of Kelly’s Bush, the site of the world’s first Green Ban. This change would monopolise public waters, risk turning our shared waterways into exclusive zones, and permanently impact on the vistas of the historic connection of Kelly’s Bush and Clarke’s Point across the water to Cockatoo Island.
We can protect our precious local parks, foreshore and amenities by actively opposing this unacceptable marina expansion.
Submissions close on 27 June 2025 and a Have Your Say form is provided on Council’s page, but if you prefer, submissions can also be sent via email to: info@huntershill.nsw.gov.au with the subject line Submission for DA20230094 Alterations and additions to the existing Woolwich Marina (please include your contact details). This may be an easier option as it allows us to copy our objections to the mayor and councillors to register the strength of feeling on this issue:
Mayor@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
JuliaPrieston@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
MarcLane@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
TatyanaVirgara@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
CarlaKassab@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
CarolTannous-Sleiman@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
RossWilliams@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
The numerous problems with this proposal include:
• The lack of recognition of the social, historical and cultural importance of State Heritage Listed Kelly’s Bush and the unacceptable bulk and scale of large vessels having a devastating impact on Kelly’s Bush Park.
• The expanded Marina will be over 300% larger than currently and will double in capacity to 79 berths to accommodate larger vessels, which risks turning our shared waterways into exclusive zones.
• The significance of the visual connection between heritage items with natural, historical, cultural, social and aesthetic importance has not been recognised. The obstruction of views to and from UNESCO World Heritage Listed Cockatoo Island and State Heritage Listed Kelly’s Bush, by moored yachts, some more than 25m in length and 3 storeys high, is unacceptable.
• The privatisation of over 18,500sqm of precious Sydney Harbour is incompatible with the social history and significance of Kelly’s Bush. The State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 makes it very clear the consent authority must consider that Sydney Harbour is a public resource, to be protected for the public good. The protection of the natural assets of Sydney harbour has precedence over all other interests.
• The alienation of foreshores and waterways and loss of safe public waters for adult and junior sailing, kayaking and other small boats
• The very real fire danger posed by yachts with combustible material parked next to precious native bushland and local homes, with no easy access for fire-fighting equipment.
• Increased noise and light pollution on a fragile marine environment, kelp forests, seahorses and adjacent bushland wildlife.
• Dangerous disturbance to toxic seabed waste around Kelly’s Bush waters, formerly used for heavy industries
• The traffic congestion and loss of parking on narrow local streets
The extent of the new proposal
If you wish, you can also express your views to the following Ministers:
Federal Member for Bennelong Jerome Laxale: Jerome@jeromelaxale.com
Federal Minister for Environment Senator Murray Watt: senator.watt@aph.gov.au
State Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe: office@sharpe.minister.nsw.gov.au
State Minister for Transport John Graham: office@graham.minister.nsw.gov.au
State Minister for Planning Paul Scully: office@scully.minister.nsw.gov.au
And in addition you can contact the following supporters of heritage and the environment:
Chair of the Australian Heritage Council The Hon. Bob Carr: AHC.Secretariat@dcceew.gov.au
Senator David Shoebridge: senator.shoebridge@aph.gov.au
If you would like more information to assist you in preparing your submission the SOS team https://www.sossaveourshores.com.au are holding weekly community briefing sessions every Wednesday in June at the Hunters Hill Sailing Club at 7.30pm
• Wednesday 11 June
• Wednesday 18 June
• Wednesday 25 June
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