Construction of the new Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay is nearing completion, with shop owners expecting to move in as early as November. The $700 million redevelopment set to replace the aging Pyrmont site will feature 40 retail and dining outlets, extended trading hours until 10pm, and panoramic views of the Anzac Bridge. While an official opening date remains unconfirmed, CEO Daniel Jarosch assured the public: “You’ll be buying your prawns for Christmas.”
Premier Chris Minns described the new precinct as a “must-see destination” expected to draw over 6 million visitors annually nearly double the foot traffic of the old market. With extended hours and sunset vistas, the design encourages lingering: cooking classes, waterfront meals, and evening strolls are all part of the vision. “We expect visitors to spend an extra day in Sydney because of this,” Minns said during a site tour with officials in hard hats and high-vis vests.
For families like the Kouroses, who have operated three businesses Boat Shed, Fish Market Cafe, and Squid Ink at the market for 30 years, the move represents both nostalgia and renewal. “We’re all on edge waiting for the date,” said Panayiotis Kouros, standing in his future kitchen space. “Whenever they say go, we’ll be ready.” Vendors are on standby for a mid-November handover, when fit-outs will begin in earnest ahead of the holiday rush.
Beyond commerce, the project includes major public infrastructure. A new boardwalk will connect the Glebe Foreshore walk to both the new Blackwattle Bay site and the old Pyrmont location. That former market land is slated for redevelopment into up to 1,200 homes, with Infrastructure NSW aiming to appoint a developer by year’s end. “It’s a once-in-a-generational change,” Jarosch said, “not just for seafood lovers, but for the whole city.”
The shift from Pyrmont’s cramped, 4pm-closing stalls to Blackwattle’s airy, sunset-lit pavilion marks more than an upgrade it’s a reimagining of Sydney’s relationship with its working waterfront. As construction wraps and fit-outs accelerate, anticipation builds not just for fresh oysters and sashimi, but for a space where locals and tourists alike can gather, linger, and reconnect with the harbor. The countdown to opening day has begun.
Despite near-complete construction and vendor readiness, the official opening date remains under wraps. Jarosch emphasized the announcement is “imminent,” but for now, Sydneysiders must wait just a little longer. What’s certain is the scale of ambition: this isn’t just a market it’s a cultural and economic anchor for the inner west. Soon, The City Will Gather Again—This Time, With Prawns In Hand And Sunset In View.
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