Berrys Bay

Transport has been collaborating with North Sydney Council regarding the future of the former boatyard, Woodleys Shed. Following endorsement from Council, the Shed will be deconstructed with the materials salvaged and stored before being integrated into a new community facility built at the site, as part of the Berrys Bay foreshore parkland.  

This creates an exciting opportunity to:  

• deliver a new community facility at Berrys Bay which reflects the form of the historic Woodleys Shed main building  

• complete the Waverton peninsula foreshore pathway and boardwalk, providing public access to more areas  

• safely remediate the ground conditions after decades of shipbuilding activities

• enable repairs to the sea walls and improve the foreshore.  

Transport awarded the second and final stage of the Western Harbour Tunnel project to ACCIONA in December 2022, changing the construction methodology to use tunnel boring machines to dig under Sydney Harbour. The new construction methodology was approved in January 2024. 

This change in methodology means that the temporary construction site at Berrys Bay is no longer required for the project, allowing construction to start sooner on a new foreshore park at Berrys Bay for the local community. 

In consultation with North Sydney Council (Council) and community representatives, Transport prepared a landscape master plan to transform the former industrial land at Berrys Bay into a foreshore park. This draft master plan was on public exhibition from 30 September to 23 October 2022. The final master plan was released on 8 February 2023,  click here to view. 

The new parkland is planned to be open for public use ahead of Western Harbour Tunnel’s opening. 

In March 2021, community members were invited to apply to be part of the Berrys Bay Community and Stakeholder Working Group (CSWG) alongside representatives from the NSW Government and North Sydney Council.

The purpose of the CSWG was to help determine the optimal vision and design of Berrys Bay and to consider perspectives and preferences across the community and the NSW Government to provide the best outcome for both the local and wider community.

This collaborative forum enabled a fair, sustainable, productive and sensitive outcome. It provided advice and assisted the Berrys Bay project team in understanding the current and future needs of the local community.

The Berrys Bay master plan development was informed by the outcomes of the CSWG meetings.

Transport worked closely with Council and key stakeholder groups including the CSWG throughout development of the Berrys Bay master plan.

Feedback showed that people highly value open space for passive and informal recreation. It also highlighted that the community strongly supported the vision to see Berrys Bay be developed into an accessible public open space, providing a range of community benefits and recreational opportunities.

Transport asked the community for their views on the draft landscape master plan for Berrys Bay via a survey, to capture key values and sentiment on the vision to transform the bay.

The survey responses identified some preferred features of the draft master plan, which were, in order of preference:

• picnic areas with seating, BBQs and shade

• tidal steps to provide connection to water

• continuous and accessible foreshore path

• open space for informal recreation.

Transport prepared a Submissions Report to document how we engaged, who we heard from and what we heard.

Transport is commencing the next stage of design development for the Berrys Bay foreshore parkland in November 2024.

We have been working with local students to co-design elements for the new play facilities at Berrys Bay. We heard from school students at North Sydney Public School and 1st North Sydney Scouts and Cubs on their dream play space. Their passionate ideas are being woven into our detailed design work. 

We are continuing work with Aboriginal elders on Cammeraygal Country with the aim to empower and celebrate Aboriginal connection to the lands and waters of Berrys Bay.  

As we reimagine and reshape spaces at Berrys Bay, our work will demonstrate the Aboriginal philosophy that: ‘if we care for Country (the land, air, water, native plants and animals), Country will care for us’.

Transport and our delivery partner ACCIONA are looking forward to sharing more details about our plans for Berrys Bay in 2025. We are continuing our work with North Sydney Council and our stakeholders to plan for the new community facility and integrate the design for the foreshore parkland.

If you would like to get in touch with the project team, please contact berrysbay@transport.nsw.gov.au

Alternatively, for more information on the Western Harbour Tunnel project, you can contact the team by calling 1800 931 189 or emailing us at whtbl@transport.nsw.gov.au