Navy sinks demands to share Garden Island

The Navy has rejected calls to host commercial cruise liners on its Garden Island base more often, despite commercial and community demands to ease pressure on the port at White Bay.

The controversial announcement of White Bay as the new host of two passenger terminals has prompted politicians and commercial organisations to suggest alternate sites to add to, or replace, White Bay.

The Navy occasionally lends their Garden Island base to the commercial sector, like when the Queen Mary II docked on February 28. But they aren’t willing to make it a regular practice.

“Even short visits by cruise ships to the Fleet Base cause considerable disruption for days before and after the visit,” said a Navy Spokesperson.

But noise and traffic disruption from the White Bay passenger terminals is a key concern for nearby residents, along with the fact that many commercial liners are too large to enter the bay in the first place.

Leichhardt councillor John Stamolis said White Bay was an illogical host for the terminals, and Member for Balmain, Verity Heath, suggested Garden Island to possibly complement the site.

But, besides the inconvenience, the Navy says space is also an issue on Garden Island. Berth availability will be further constrained when the Navy introduces some of the biggest new ships ever operated, in 2014.

“There is no spare capacity to establish a dedicated cruise ship facility in this precinct, nor is the industrial nature of the precinct compatible with cruise shipping requirements,” said the Navy Spokesperson.

To cater for commercial terminals, Garden Island would need up to 700 on-site employees, parking facilities, arrivals, customs and cargo halls, and major changes to the area’s public transport network.

The Island’s heritage structures could also be endangered if terminals were to be built.

“Such a scheme would inevitably mean demolition of important heritage on the Garden Island site dating back to 1788, including the famous WW II, 250 tonne hammerhead crane on the Cowper Wharf Roadway,” said Andrew Woodhouse, President of the Potts Point and Kings Cross Heritage Conservation Society.