Wharf | Ferry pickup/ dropoff | Rubbish skip available | Pontoon for commuter boats | Informal tie up at jetty | Commercial goods landing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bell | X | X | X | ||
Cargo | X | X | X | ||
Tennis | X | X | X | ||
Carols | X # | X | X | ||
Eastern | X # | X | X |
# = indicate to the ferry driver that you require a pick-up by putting out the orange flag
Commuter boat tie-ups
Facilities for commuter boat tie-ups on the island are extremely limited. Beach moorings and tie-ups at public wharves are considered illegal by NSW Maritime and Northern Beaches Council.
Bell and Carols Wharves and pontoons
Bell and Carols wharves (see below for further information) are managed by Northern Beaches Council. Each vessel is allocated a designated spot (marked with a number) and users pay an annual fee to council. This system applies to both the pontoon and the fixed wharf sections.
Cargo Wharf pontoon
Cargo is managed by Northern Beaches Council. There is a limit of 18 permits with an annual fee by Council. Currently there is a wait list.
Council contact below:
No results.
Tennis Wharf pontoon
Tennis is a private pontoon managed by the Tennis Users Group (TUG). SIRA holds the license for the pontoon with Northern Beaches Council on behalf of TUG. There is a limit of 40 boats with a levy for maintenance and liability insurance. Currently there is a wait list. TUG contact below:
Eastern Wharf
Tie-ups at this wharf operate under informal but time-honoured arrangements. Usually, those who have been there the longest get the best spots with regards to access and tides. There is no set management. Tie-up spots are not part of a house property’s lot and therefore can not be sold with a property.
Other boat tie-up arrangements
Some boat owners negotiate a tie-up spot with owners of private jeties/pontoons.
Wharf etiquette and tips
- Limit the size of your boat to 4.5m
- Don’t tie up in a way that prevents another boat from leaving the jetty
- Leave a tie-up line of at least 1.5m if possible
- Lock up your boat, petrol tank and, if possible, engine. There have been instances of theft, so it is wise to take out insurance to cover your boat for theft and damage.
Commuter boat tie-up expansions (2017-2022)
In 2017, residents formed the SIRA Wharves Working Group (team leader Alec Beckett), a working group of the SIRA Wharves and Watercraft Subcommittee, to lobby council for expanded tie-up facilities for residents. This was triggered by the then-approved expansion of Commuter Wharf tie ups (since reneged).
The working group designed plans, consulted with the community (including seeking feedback of neighbouring property owners) through several rounds of public forums, meetings and surveys. They then presented to council their proposed plans for expansions for Bell, Carols and Eastern wharves. Council agreed with the works for Bell and Carols and redrafted the plans and sought further community consultation in time for council to apply for NSW Boating Now grants – which were successfully obtained.
After years of continual agitation to ensure this project remained funded, the over $2M works were completed in 2022, giving all-tidal access to over 75 additional households.