White Bay an error?

[Purples]

We have not been to White Bay yet. Are there any entry/exit gates - even for walking - to get to Balmain without having to go all the way along to the port access road? So wish we were going to the overseas terminal - a truly magical place to berth. What was Sydney thinking!

[GUT2407]

We have not been to White Bay yet. Are there any entry/exit gates - even for walking - to get to Balmain without having to go all the way along to the port access road? So wish we were going to the overseas terminal - a truly magical place to berth. What was Sydney thinking!

 

 

Short answer "no" a long walk.

 

At least at White Bay, you get to sail under the "Coathanger", just what a stupid place to build a terminal, no transport other than by car.

[Purples]

Many thanks - thought we may be missing something

[GUT2407]

Many thanks - thought we may be missing something

 

 

I should have said that I too may be wrong as I have never walked in only driven, But I am pretty sure that it is only along the road.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Same position as Garden Island, and sheltered by the Potts Point heights.

 

It was used for many large ships last century, and of course the Navy now...

 

Garden Island is the outer part and has much more open water around it, so more room to manoeuvre. The Wooloomooloo wharf part is very narrow.

 

And the navy ships are tiny compared to some of the bigger cruise ships.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We have not been to White Bay yet. Are there any entry/exit gates - even for walking - to get to Balmain without having to go all the way along to the port access road? So wish we were going to the overseas terminal - a truly magical place to berth. What was Sydney thinking!

 

I think you could walk out through Robert St but it's still a really long uphill hike to the Balmain shops.

 

The only vehicle entrance is the port access road.

 

The short answer is they weren't thinking, they were following the dictates of the developers who wanted to redevelop Barangaroo. :mad:

Edited February 22, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[MicCanberra]

I think you could walk out through Robert St but it's still a really long uphill hike to the Balmain shops.

 

The only vehicle entrance is the port access road.

 

The short answer is they weren't thinking, they were following the dictates of the developers who wanted to redevelop Barangaroo. :mad:

 

Taxi or shuttle are really the best options for getting in and out of White Bay.:(

[GUT2407]

I think you could walk out through Robert St but it's still a really long uphill hike to the Balmain shops.

 

The only vehicle entrance is the port access road.

 

The short answer is they weren't thinking, they were following the dictates of the developers who wanted to redevelop Barangaroo. :mad:

 

 

But even if that last sentence is true [and I loved Bangaroo] why go to White Bay with no infrastructure, or at least why not put some in place.

[cassamanda]

We have not been to White Bay yet. Are there any entry/exit gates - even for walking - to get to Balmain without having to go all the way along to the port access road? So wish we were going to the overseas terminal - a truly magical place to berth. What was Sydney thinking!

 

You can walk back along the road from the terminal, keeping to the right against the cliff wall. Walk past the little security box to Roberts Rd then head right up the hill to Balmain. Ie dont follow Somerville road around the bay toward Anzac bridge. Some people do park there cars in this area around the Roberts Rd.

 

Hugh

[Mothballs]

Garden Island is the outer part and has much more open water around it, so more room to manoeuvre. The Wooloomooloo wharf part is very narrow.

 

And the navy ships are tiny compared to some of the bigger cruise ships.

 

Have you seen HMAS Canberra? It is huge and we have another Navy ship, HMAS Adelaide on the way here which is the same size.

Regards Elaine.

[The_Big_M]

Garden Island is the outer part and has much more open water around it, so more room to manoeuvre. The Wooloomooloo wharf part is very narrow.

 

And the navy ships are tiny compared to some of the bigger cruise ships.

 

Garden Island docking frontage and Woolloomooloo wharf share the same body of water. Garden Island is of course much larger, but many large navy and non-navy ships have docked in that section. There are no manoeuvarability issues getting in and out. It's also been used for many cargo ships, which have the least manoeuvarability.

 

Many navy ships are large as well, and it's not "tiny" ships that are tied up in that section. In fact, the "tiny" ships don't use there at all (except when over capacity). Lastly, we're talking about the smaller cruise ship wharf anyway - White Bay and Barangaroo before only took the smaller cruise ships since the bigger ones weren't able to pass under the bridge.

[yatchet]

Have you seen HMAS Canberra? It is huge and we have another Navy ship, HMAS Adelaide on the way here which is the same size.

Regards Elaine.

Hmas Canberra and Adelaide are about 30 meters shorter than Sun/Sea/Dawn Princess.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Hmas Canberra and Adelaide are about 30 meters shorter than Sun/Sea/Dawn Princess.

 

I was thinking of the newer builds, that can't get under the harbour bridge, rather than our current ships.

 

Not sure how Canberra and Adelaide compare height-wise. The slab-sided design of modern cruise ships does mean that they are affected by cross-winds, even the smaller ones like Sun/Sea/Dawn, as we discovered on our cruise when sailaway was delayed three hours.

[The_Big_M]

But even if that last sentence is true [and I loved Bangaroo] why go to White Bay with no infrastructure, or at least why not put some in place.

 

Its location (along the access road) is remote. There isn't any other real traffic there except when in use, so it's a decent way out and cost for a very limited time wise service, so not generally cost-effective.

 

The only real pragmatic approach is to provide a shuttle service via ferry or bus, but the government doesn't generally do limited shuttle services now, again for cost effectiveness - they want to standardise them and reduce costs.

[The_Big_M]

I was thinking of the newer builds, that can't get under the harbour bridge, rather than our current ships.

 

Nobody's proposing the complete removal of the OPT, so that is still designed to handle all of the largest ships that operate here.

[MicCanberra]

I was thinking of the newer builds, that can't get under the harbour bridge, rather than our current ships.

 

Not sure how Canberra and Adelaide compare height-wise. The slab-sided design of modern cruise ships does mean that they are affected by cross-winds, even the smaller ones like Sun/Sea/Dawn, as we discovered on our cruise when sailaway was delayed three hours.

 

All captains have to maintain the safety of the ship when winds may hinder arriving or leaving from dock areas. I would think that Garden Island would still be easier than either white bay due to only having to worry about winds from the one direction.:D

[Kiwi Kruzer]

QM2 had no trouble with Garden Island.

[OzKiwiJJ]

QM2 had no trouble with Garden Island.

 

Yes, but I reckon she may have had problems getting right into Wooloomooloo wharf if it was available.

 

I think Garden Island would be the perfect solution. Send the Navy to White Bay, run a new light rail link (or something) down to Garden Island, include a ferry wharf in the redesign, and maybe an extra hotel for pre/post cruise stopovers.

 

Visitors would easily be able to walk to Mrs Macquaries Chair and the Opera House, the Art Gallery is nearby with a walkway access that crosses the motorway, a trendy pub and all the Wooloomooloo wharf restaurants close at hand, transport into the CBD would be easy to achieve, and ships of all sizes should be able to dock there.

[MicCanberra]

Yes, but I reckon she may have had problems getting right into Wooloomooloo wharf if it was available.

 

I think Garden Island would be the perfect solution. Send the Navy to White Bay, run a new light rail link (or something) down to Garden Island, include a ferry wharf in the redesign, and maybe an extra hotel for pre/post cruise stopovers.

 

Visitors would easily be able to walk to Mrs Macquaries Chair and the Opera House, the Art Gallery is nearby with a walkway access that crosses the motorway, a trendy pub and all the Wooloomooloo wharf restaurants close at hand, transport into the CBD would be easy to achieve, and ships of all sizes should be able to dock there.

 

It would be good if all that can happen.:D

[Mothballs]

Yes, but I reckon she may have had problems getting right into Wooloomooloo wharf if it was available.

 

I think Garden Island would be the perfect solution. Send the Navy to White Bay,.

 

Do you know how many Naval Vessels are berthed at Garden Island? Unlike cruise ships the fleet are berthed for weeks and months at a time. What about the noise for the residents? I understand infrastructure can be moved but it will cost a lot of money and what happens if the cruise industry goes bust.

Asked the Navy Daughter if HMAS Canberra will fit under the Harbour Bridge and she said yes if they remove the antenna.

Regards Elaine.

[cruiselover53]

Yes, but I reckon she may have had problems getting right into Wooloomooloo wharf if it was available.

 

I think Garden Island would be the perfect solution. Send the Navy to White Bay, run a new light rail link (or something) down to Garden Island, include a ferry wharf in the redesign, and maybe an extra hotel for pre/post cruise stopovers.

 

Visitors would easily be able to walk to Mrs Macquaries Chair and the Opera House, the Art Gallery is nearby with a walkway access that crosses the motorway, a trendy pub and all the Wooloomooloo wharf restaurants close at hand, transport into the CBD would be easy to achieve, and ships of all sizes should be able to dock there.

 

And who's paying for these little changes.Damn sure neither political party will.

[The_Big_M]

Yes, but I reckon she may have had problems getting right into Wooloomooloo wharf if it was available.

 

I think Garden Island would be the perfect solution. Send the Navy to White Bay, run a new light rail link (or something) down to Garden Island, include a ferry wharf in the redesign, and maybe an extra hotel for pre/post cruise stopovers.

 

Visitors would easily be able to walk to Mrs Macquaries Chair and the Opera House, the Art Gallery is nearby with a walkway access that crosses the motorway, a trendy pub and all the Wooloomooloo wharf restaurants close at hand, transport into the CBD would be easy to achieve, and ships of all sizes should be able to dock there.

 

 

That'd be far from workable. White Bay has only space for a few berths, and doesn't have all the necessary facilities (workshops, dry dock and so on) so doesn't have the capacity. Further it would not be able to handle the larger navy ships which again could not go underneath the bridge. That's just not viable.

 

What is the point of taking over Garden Island when there is way more capacity then needed for cruise ships, plus it is further away than OPT or even Woolloomooloo wharf?

[The_Big_M]

Do you know how many Naval Vessels are berthed at Garden Island? Unlike cruise ships the fleet are berthed for weeks and months at a time. What about the noise for the residents? I understand infrastructure can be moved but it will cost a lot of money and what happens if the cruise industry goes bust.

Asked the Navy Daughter if HMAS Canberra will fit under the Harbour Bridge and she said yes if they remove the antenna.

Regards Elaine.

 

They had about 40 ships berthed at Garden Island a year back, plus all the facilities and crew to support that.

 

Impossible for that to go to White Bay - and again for what purpose? OPT is working well for the largest ships. And White Bay, while not as super convenient as OPT, still works for the rest of operations (aside from not being great for residents. But again, moving even more facilities and ships there isn't the fix for that!)

[OzKiwiJJ]

And who's paying for these little changes.Damn sure neither political party will.

 

Hey, dreams are free :D

 

But the obvious answer is "The developers". Give them the option to build hotels and apartments at the Wooloomooloo end of Garden Island on the condition they also do the redevelopment of the cruise terminal.

Edited February 23, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[OzKiwiJJ]

They had about 40 ships berthed at Garden Island a year back, plus all the facilities and crew to support that.

 

Impossible for that to go to White Bay - and again for what purpose? OPT is working well for the largest ships. And White Bay, while not as super convenient as OPT, still works for the rest of operations (aside from not being great for residents. But again, moving even more facilities and ships there isn't the fix for that!)

 

There looks like there is a lot of space at and around White Bay, if Glebe Island is also included. Might be big enough. It certainly looks it on Google Maps.

 

The Navy could keep part of Garden Island for its really big ships, and the dry dock of course.

 

I'm mainly thinking of tourists as regards to White Bay, especially those coming in for the day, overnight, or on B2B. Being stuck out at White Bay would be a real downer, and expensive if those people wanted to go sightseeing.

 

I don't personally have a problem with White Bay as it's very easy to get to from my place.