Sydney’s fishmongers are threatening to abandon the long-delayed $1 billion Sydney Fish Market project, intended to be the Southern Hemisphere’s largest, as frustrations mount over construction setbacks and unresolved issues.
The taxpayer-funded development, set to debut in November, has faced ballooning costs since breaking ground in 2021, compounded by persistent design conflicts that have stalled progress. The market’s 38 existing tenants have also raised alarms about inadequate power supply for their refrigeration demands in the new facility.
When reporters visited the current site, traders stayed tight-lipped, citing a gag order. “Merchants aren’t our official voices and are asked to forward media questions to us,” a market spokesperson clarified. Yet Kerry Strangas, a seasoned 67-year-old fish seller with nearly five decades at the market and head of the Master Fish Merchants’ Association, spoke out. He described a boiling frustration among vendors, with some still refusing to ink leases for the new space. “One guy holding several leases hasn’t committed, and a buddy of mine is so fed up he’s ready to quit,” Strangas shared.
The ambitious $1 billion endeavor has been hit by design snags and cost overruns, with at least two key traders still uncommitted to the move. Strangas, while critical, sees potential in escaping the crumbling current market. “It’d be shut down if it were anywhere else in the city—too many nagging problems make it a chore for us,” he said, though he’s skeptical of a 2025 opening: “The roofer’s gone belly-up, and a plumber’s teetering.”
Infrastructure NSW confirmed all 23 new retail leases are locked in but punted questions about holdovers to Sydney Fish Market, which dodged claims of trader discontent or unsigned contracts. The agency insists the design aligns with tenant needs after extensive consultations, but Strangas flagged concerns like restricted truck access and tricky fish transport logistics involving lifts.
Despite the grumbling, Strangas and some peers are hopeful for a new chapter. “We’ll take what we get and make it work,” he said. Still, fears persist about future rent hikes—current rates may hold for a few years before jumping to pricier urban levels, though the market stayed mum on this point.
The project’s troubles go deeper: Multiplex, the lead builder, cited industry-wide cost spikes but sidestepped subcontractor woes. The firm behind the $200 million “wave roof,” Sharvain Facades, collapsed into administration post-completion, and other subcontractors reportedly bled millions. Infrastructure NSW, however, claims the budget’s intact.
Financially, Sydney Fish Market is wobbling, with an expected $8 million deficit for 2023-24 per the Sydney Morning Herald, and insolvency advisors on board—though it denies insolvency rumors. “We’re gearing up to open by year’s end,” a spokesperson vowed, promising financial filings soon.
As the new site—practically next door to its Blackwattle Bay home—nears its finish line, the saga leaves traders and seafood lovers bracing for what’s next.