OPINION ‘Bigger, better and bittersweet’: Our honest take on the new Sydney Fish Market
BY: Kartya Vucetic
The long-awaited new Sydney Fish Market officially opened yesterday morning, marking the end of one era, and the very polished beginning of another.
Trading kicked off early (and we mean early), with the first auctions starting around 4am at the new Blackwattle Bay site. To mark day one, the market hosted a charity auction celebrating NSW seafood, raising $41,500 for OceanWatch Australia. A 41.8kg yellowfin tuna alone fetched $15,500, which also felt very Sydney-coded.
Yesterday’s charity auction (ft. one very expensive tuna) | Image: Grainger Films
What’s the new precinct like?
The new precinct is big (more than 26,000 square metres big) bringing together 42 retailers, 19 wholesalers, dining, retail and public spaces under one enormous roof. It’s designed to be both a working market and a visitor destination, with live auctions now visible to the public, extended trading hours (until midnight on weekends), and a strong emphasis on food tourism, education and sustainability.
Now that’s a fish market | Image: Grainger Films
There were speeches. There were ministers. There was a clear sense that everyone involved was extremely proud (rightfully so). So proud, in fact, that we accidentally found ourselves half-awake at a 6.30am press conference with NSW Premier Chris Minns, pondering whether he’s more of a Sydney Rock or Pacific oyster kind of guy.
Old mate Minns is definitely giving Sydney Rock energy | Image: Grainger Films
What’s our honest opinion on it?
To be clear: the new fish markets is nothing short of an incredible feat. Aside from the fact that they are actually complete, the space is undeniably better equipped for a city that wants to call itself “world-class”. They’re cleaner, more functional, more accessible, and have a distinctively un-fishy smell that we’ve all come to know too well.
The outdoor area is far larger than the old stomping ground | Image: Grainger Films
But once the initial excitement wears off, we’d be lying if we denied that a few feelings crept in.
Right next door, the old fish markets now sit quietly. A little sad, a little abandoned, a bit like a washed-up cousin watching the family move on without them. They were chaotic, smelly, a bit gross, and full of character. For a lot of Sydneysiders, they’re tangled up in childhood memories of early mornings, Christmas Eve, salt in the air, and the unmistakable scent of fish that clung to everything. Literally, everything.
And while progress was definitely necessary, that doesn’t mean it isn’t still a loss.
Everyone might be overlooking the real game changer…
Interestingly, one aspect that appears to have been overlooked is the fact that the Sydney Fish Market will now remain open until midnight on weekends.
It’s easy to imagine someone wandering down from Chippendale around 11pm, marginally pissed and having decided to send a live crab to its death. In other words, with Sydney’s nightlife still in the middle of an existential identity crisis, this may quietly qualify as an evening destination.
The entrance to the bigger, better fish markets | Image: Grainger Films
So yes, the new Sydney Fish Market is bigger. It’s better. And it’s a milestone the city should definitely be proud of. But it’s also bittersweet, a reminder that when Sydney upgrades, it often cleans up the mess along with the magic.
We’ll absolutely be back. We just might still miss the smell of the old place a little more than we expected.
