Taronga Zoo Wharf Upgrade
Project overview
The NSW Government is proposing to improve Taronga Zoo Wharf as part of the Transport Access Program.

Latest news
Oct 2021 - Investigation work
The NSW Government is upgrading Taronga Zoo Wharf as part of the Transport Access Program – an initiative to deliver modern, safe and accessible transport infrastructure across the state.
Transport for NSW will carry out investigation work to help inform the detailed design for the Taronga Zoo Wharf Upgrade.
View the October notification (PDF, 970Kb) for more information.
Project information
Background
Transport for NSW is upgrading Taronga Zoo Wharf as part of the Transport Access Program (TAP). The upgraded wharf will provide access for customers with mobility needs, meeting the standards of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (DSAPT).
The new Taronga Zoo Wharf
The new wharf will provide Taronga Zoo with facilities that all members of the community can access.
Key benefits of the project include:
- installing a new ramp between the wharf and the gangway
- re-sizing the existing jetty to allow for two new longer, accessible gangways
- upgrading the existing wharf café and ferry staff office
- upgrading the Opal readers, information boards, security cameras and lighting.
Existing wharf
Artist's impressions of wharf upgrade
Plan of the proposed Taronga Zoo Wharf Upgrade
Next steps
The project team will start the detailed design process in mid-2021. Construction work to upgrade the wharf is expected to begin in the first half of 2022 and take about six months to complete (weather permitting). We will notify the community before starting work.
Potential construction impacts
Construction of the proposal would take up to six months to complete, weather and maritime conditions permitting.
It is expected that:
- while the wharf would remain operational, some sections of the wharf would be temporarily closed to pedestrians for safety reasons
- vegetation along the foreshore would be removed to allow for the new ramp
- a small temporary construction compound would be established on land and a floating construction barge would be located adjacent to the wharf
- the position of the bus stop may need to be temporarily moved for a short period while the path is regraded
- there may be temporary traffic changes to allow truck access.
We would work closely with Taronga Zoo to minimise impacts to their operations and connecting bus services.
We will notify the community before starting work.
Wharf operation during construction
Taronga Zoo Wharf would remain open during the construction phase with ferry services continuing as normal.
Work hours and potential noise impacts
Our standard work hours would be between 7am and 6pmMonday to Friday and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays. Some of the work during these times would be noisy. No work is planned for Sundays or public holidays.
Some out of hours work may be carried out for work that requires calm water conditions. We would notify impacted residents before carrying out any out of hours work.
Other wharf upgrades in the area
Wharf interchanges across Sydney are being upgraded to improve the transport experience for customers and the community.To find out more about wharf upgrades in your area. visit the Wharf Upgrade Program page.
In designing the new wharves, a number of areas need to be considered such as accessibility, the environment, customer safety and amenity, future demand and ferry operations. These are outlined in the Design Considerations factsheet (PDF, 335Kb).
Project documents
Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG).
If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us.
Community updates
- October 2021 project Notification
Investigation work from Saturday 16 October 2021.
- March 2021 community update
Reports
Contact us
For further information about this project, please contact:
Phone: 1800 770 973 (during business hours)
Email:wharfupgradeprogram@transport.nsw.gov.au