After lengthy delays and a budget of $836 million, the highly anticipated new Sydney Fish Market has officially opened its doors to the public. The gleaming facility, which replaces the iconic but grimy site established in 1966, promises a transformed experience for the millions of seafood lovers who visit each year.
A Glitzy New Home on the Harbour
The first thing regular visitors noticed on opening day was a surprising absence: the seagulls. "I've been waiting 50 years for this," one elated customer remarked, celebrating the lack of birdlife and its associated mess that characterised the old location. The birds had seemingly missed the memo about the relocation, still congregating at the now-silent former site.
The new market is a monumental structure, jutting out into Blackwattle Bay with a distinctive 20,000 square metre checkered roof. It now houses 40 vendors, a significant expansion that includes not just seafood purveyors but also stalls selling pizza, bánh mì, artisan cheese, and flowers. General manager Carmelo Lombardo, a veteran of over three decades at the old market, called the opening a "proud moment" in a state-of-the-art building that has left visitors "so excited to be here."
First Impressions: Awe, Prices, and Breakfast Oysters
By lunchtime on its inaugural day, the market had reached capacity, with visitors advised to return later. Reactions were mixed. While many were awed by the scale and cleanliness, others baulked at the premium prices. Bob, a visitor from Adelaide, pointed to live king crab selling for $279 a kilogram and live lobsters at $194.99 each, noting it was far cheaper back home.
Not everything carried a luxury price tag. A serving of tuna and salmon nigiri was available for $7.60, and fish and chips cost $17. The atmosphere was festive, with some, like Robert and Brigitte who flew in from Darwin, even enjoying a dozen oysters at 8am. "It smells a lot cleaner than the other place," Robert observed, "but who knows how long that'll last."
Conquering Culinary Fears at the New Landmark
The new market's ethos, as stated by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, is to offer something for everybody, "whether people were coming for caviar or crab sticks." In that spirit, Guardian journalist Caitlin Cassidy faced her own seafood fears, trying barbecue octopus and oysters for the first time in a decade.
The octopus, purchased for $18.50 from the Fish Market Cafe, was delicious—fresh, smoky, and sweet—though she later felt a pang of guilt upon remembering the creature's sentience. The six Sydney Rock oysters, costing $16.50, proved a greater challenge, their texture and appearance a hurdle she barely overcame.
Despite the shiny new appeal, Cassidy felt a touch of nostalgia for the grit and character of the old site. Yet, the march of progress, symbolised by the vast new building expecting six million visitors annually, was undeniable. The state government has committed a further $70 million for transport links, including a new ferry wharf and light rail upgrades, to manage the influx.
As the old market awaits demolition, Sydney's seafood heart has found a brighter, bigger, and decidedly less smelly new home.
