Changes to vessel navigation at Bradleys Head, Sydney Harbour

To facilitate safer movement of large cruise ships in and out of Sydney Harbour, the Bradleys Head Safe Water Mark will be removed from 30th September and replaced with a Special Mark about two hundred metres to the east.

The Bradleys Head Safe Water Mark was installed around 1960 when ships were much smaller. The substantial growth in the size of ships has made navigation around the mark more challenging, with a potential danger for ships to collide with the mark and become disabled.

As such, the Port of Authority of NSW is removing the existing mark and a replacement mark will be installed in a nearby location in order to maintain safety of navigation in the area. It’s expected this work will take between two to four days, weather dependent.

Once removed, large ships will follow a single path staying between Bradleys Head and the Special Mark as they navigate inbound to a berth or outbound to sea.

Ferries and other vessels will use the Special Mark as a turning point as they navigate towards Manly and other areas of the harbour to the north.

Transport for NSW has worked closely with Port Authority NSW and ferry operators Transdev Sydney Ferries and NRMA ahead of this change. Boaters are reminded to keep clear of large ships and their escorts, keep a proper lookout at all times, and stay right while travelling at a safe speed.

For more information, including rules for boating on Sydney Harbour, visit nsw.gov.au.