A $213 million upgrade to the Navy’s Garden Island facility in Sydney will improve Defence operations, enhance national security and create hundreds of jobs.
The wharf upgrade project has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works today with work expected to begin in mid-2017, subject to approval.
The Cruiser Wharf and Oil Wharf will be demolished and a new wharf with different alignment will be constructed; an adjoining wharf will be extended to reduce the new wharf’s protrusion into Sydney Harbour.
The Garden Island upgrade will provide critical capability for Navy as part of the 2016 Defence White Paper.
The Australian Government is investing significantly in securing our national security by increasing Defence spending, including a $40 billion investment in Australia’s future naval capabilities.
Our investment in Naval ship building means we also need high-quality Defence infrastructure to support and maintain our Navy and Garden Island is one of our key operating bases.
The project is expected to create about 300 direct jobs with flow-on benefits for the local economy.
Defence is committed to engaging local and Indigenous suppliers on this project as well as consulting with the local community.
Building a new wharf that is equipped with engineering services, including electrical, water, and fuel, along with a crane, will enable maintenance work to be conducted well away from residential areas, reducing the noise and visual impacts.