Wharf construction

Curious about what it took to build the wharves at La Perouse and Kurnell?

Creating these structures involved navigating complex marine conditions and careful planning, with a strong focus on minimising environmental impacts.

These images capture key moments from the construction journey, showcasing the effort behind these important community assets and highlighting a new era in the region’s maritime story.

A safe work area was set up at each site. Temporary roads and site offices were built on top of protective ground covering, which was taken away once construction finished. La Perouse June 2023.

Trees inside the work area were fenced off during construction. Kurnell June 2023.

Before any digging started, archaeologists and Aboriginal Site Officers checked the area. No heritage items were found. La Perouse June 2023.

The old viewing platform at Kurnell was taken down, and as much of the old structure as possible was reused or recycled. Kurnell June 2023.

Temporary causeways were built at both sites to give equipment a flat, stable surface to work from. At Kurnell, a temporary jetty was also added to help with access. All were removed at the end of construction. La Perouse June 2023.

Barges and cranes were used to install long steel posts, called piles, to support the wharves. Each pile is about 760mm wide and varies in length depending on where it was placed. La Perouse has 46 piles, and Kurnell has 48. Piling started slowly to help deter marine animals from the area. La Perouse July 2023.

A marine mammal observer watched the area during piling. If certain animals came too close, work was stopped to keep them safe. La Perouse August 2023.

Concrete support beams, called headstocks, were placed on top of the wharf piles along the fixed jetty area. La Perouse September 2023.

Aerial progress photo. Kurnell October 2023.

Steel support beams, called headstocks, were placed on top of the piles in the vessel berthing area. Kurnell March 2024.

Aerial progress photo. La Perouse May 2024.

Aluminium module sections were installed to form the base of the vessel berthing area. La Perouse July 2024.

Each wharf has two lowered balustrades (or railings) to enable accessible fishing. January 2025 La Perouse

Each wharf has two lowered balustrades (or railings) to enable accessible fishing. La Perouse January 2025.

Non-slip mesh flooring, railings, and lighting were installed on the berthing area. On the fixed jetty, new shelter, timber decking, seating, bins, and safety equipment were added. Kurnell February 2025.