Over 70 per cent of Australia’s cruise passengers believe Sydney should have a third cruise terminal, according to a survey conducted by Cruise Passenger.
Only 11 per cent thought another terminal was unnecessary.
The survey was conducted by cruisepassenger.com.au, which has an audience of 200,000 cruisers, and was part of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards poll which this year received over 11,451 votes.
The results come as the debate over building a new megaliner terminal at Botany Bay is hotting up, with a protest rally planned and a government consultation exercise already underway.
Royal Caribbean has already strongly backed Botany, offering investment and expertise to help move the project forward as quickly as possible. New Managing Director Gavin Smith maintains the industry’s growth has been stunted and a new terminal at Botany would mean new Oasis-class ships – the largest in the world – could carry many more visitors to Australia.
This week, multi-billionaire developer Harry Triguboff backed the plans, saying that it is good for the nation’s economy. He plans serviced apartments at nearby Little Bay for pre and post cruise stays.
“Botany Bay must be developed for cruise ships,” said Mr Triguboff told The Australian, adding that it would be much easier for cruise ships to turn around in Botany Bay than Sydney Harbour.
“It has to be there at Botany Bay. They have tried so many times to do it (turn around) in the harbour. They can’t get there.”
Mr Triguboff recently bought land near Little Bay which he said he wants to capture the pre and post cruise market. The tycoon has indicated he will be building a serviced apartment complex if the cruise terminal plan proceeds. He has approval for 400-500 apartments on the side and says public transport and infrastructure will follow.
“If we get cruise passengers, we will build serviced apartments,” said Mr Triguboff.
RCI’s Chairman Richard Fain, one of the most powerful men in the cruise industry has supported Australia’s love for cruise.
“Botany Bay seems like such a no-brainer. It’s good for the guests, especially non-Australians, because it is close to the Sydney Airport. It’s the least disruptive; it fires on every cylinder,” Mr Fain told The Australian.
“Larger ships need to be taken into account, because they attract a higher per diem per guest. I think we are moving towards a consensus that this is in Australia’s best interest.”
But not everyone is in support of the terminal. Local residents of Yarra Bay have been protesting against the development of a cruise terminal and have indicated that there is a lack of community consultation.
One resident, Eva Gunning commented on Cruise Passenger saying, ” You want to take our beach away and ruin our other beaches? What exactly do we get out of this?”
Meanwhile the poll also showed the environment and overtourism are playing an important part in decision making when it comes to choosing a cruise holiday.
Over 58 per cent of those polled said that overtourism could or will play a part in where they go on their next holiday, and over 60 per cent said the stance a company was taking on climate change and sustainability would make a difference in their decision to book. Another 20 per cent said it might make a difference.
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Yarra Bay belongs to all Australians to swim, walk, fish, sail, to enjoy it’s beauty and just be able to relax in it’s peaceful environment.
The proposal to gift it to a foreign company in front of the rights of all Australians to serve their profit motives ( and those of the NSW Port Authority and the corrupted state and federal politicians who are promoting this despicable proposal ) is grotesque and utterly evil.
It’s a microcosm of what’s going wrong on t
our planet, and it must be defeated at all costs !
Lester odea . Have talked to meny overseas cruisers and they all only want to sail into Sydney via the bueatifull opera house and sydney harbour bridge. If terminal was built, they said they would find a cruise that came into Sydney harbour, and so would l if l was in there situation. Put navy base out by it’s self, next to a city is not ideal if the worst happens. Garden island is the only logical place.wake up government, your not that blind. This terminal is that far behind schedule ,it’s embarrassing.
Lester odea. First of all ,a navy base should not be,only a few km from the center of a city for a start,put the base somewhere by it’s self,away from a city, so thing are safer if the worst happens.the third cruise terminal can be some where around garden island. Problems solved!! I have talked to a lot of cruise passengers from overseas and they all only want to sail into Sydney via the beautiful opera house and famous sydney harbour bridge, if the terminal was put down at botany bay the said the would find a cruise that dose come into the harbour, and so would l if l was in there situation, wake up government, your not that blind,are you.very disappointed with the whole process so far.
Makes you Think. Definitely Terminal Could go somewhere else. Can’t they just expand the existing Terminal to Assist the Mega Ships.
That would definitely Bring a few more Jobs to
Sydney. Setting up the Accommodations along side.
Vicki Webster.
I would say a large majority of Leave EU Brexit supporters thought it was a ‘good idea’ until they heard all the facts.. they’re not laughing now. Quite frankly I’d wager that 99% of cruisers are uneducated on both Yarra Bay and Little Bay and even more would be uneducated on the cruise industry in general. The deaths cover ups, food hygiene issues, migrant workers being paid under the legal rate, the emissions these ships pump out, the rubbish, oil, animal carcasses dumped at sea… the list goes on.
Don’t even start on ‘Mr Meriton’. What a crook he is.
I totally agree with Eva Gunning. Yarra bay is surrounded by sacred indigenous land , natural and protected agriculture & marine life. Then there is the cemetery which is also sacred. There is and never will be room for a third cruise ship terminal
Of the 70% who believe Sydney should have a 3rd cruise terminal how many voted fir it to be in Botany Bay on a beach where you get off into a cemetery next to a container port with nothing to see on your way in or out & nothing to do without an hours drive in congested traffic?
500,000 anglers will back and support our calls for no terminal in yarra bay we are sick of destroying bays for little to no gain … we anglers are united against this we want no cruise terminal in yarra bay .. disturbing the ground sediments will kill all the marine life in botany bay and nobody will even be allowed to swim in any beaches on the south or west side .. we will have support of all the climate control people as well as your ships have toxic fumes that cause cancer ..we are going to let all the communities 10ks in all around the bay just how much rick them and there kids face with this teribble plan
what about the rest of the country that doesn’t want it your survey probably got its votes from people who don’t live in Australia … us anglers 500, 000 in nsw will oppose and march against it
I believe that a permanent terminal should go ahead in Newcastle NSW (it was one of the governments promises before the last election, then when elected renigged on the promise) so country people do not have to go into Sydney. Sydney and Botany Bay add a few more hours to the already long trip to board a cruise ship. I vote for Newcastle.
So how many cruise passengers would prefer to based at the noisey ugly Port Botany container terminals rather than come to beautiful Sydney Harbour with the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, vibrant bustling CBD restaurants and shopping? Might be an interesting survey for you guys!
This CANNOT happen! The depths of Botany Bay, where Yarra Bay is situated, is a minefield of toxic sludge that when dredged, as it will have to be, will unleash Armageddon on all living aquatic species in the Bay. Chemicals from the ICI chemical plant have been leaching into the bay for decades! It will be an echological disaster! Not to mention the difficulty of transportation from there to the city, where most “cruisers” want to go to see the sites. Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Darling Harbour etc. The roads and public transport system are NOT designed for the purpose.!
There are plenty of other places that are crying out for the 3rd terminals, Wollongong, Newcastle, Darwin, they need the jobs & have the space to accomodate the serviced apartments. Yarra bay is surrounded by sacred indigenous land , natural and protected agriculture & marine life. Then there is the cemetery which is also sacred. There is and never will be room for a third cruise ship terminal & it will not be permitted.
This development idea is beyond belief.
To ruin the beautiful remaining beaches coves sacred bush land and historically significant sites and marine habitat shows utter ignorance of anything except money.
This government is hell bent on destroying a wonderful beach and all it’s community’s amenities for the sake of the greedy dollar. Tragic
What kind of idiots would offer cruise ship passengers the wonderful scenery of pulling up to a industrially overdeveloped port. No Opera House or Sydney Harbour Bridge, just the ugly sight of oil tanks, chemical tanks, high rise containers, and any other shit that has been put there, not to mention the traffic chaos that already exists. DUMB. .
But do those cruise passengers surveyed know about the cultural, heritage and environmental impacts of building at Yarra Bay and that there are other alternatives.
As a frequent swimmer of Yarra Bay and resident of the area I would like to express my opposition to the proposed terminal. No consideration has been give to the local community what the impact will be on us and the degradation of our beautiful beach. It is all about the cruise ship industry making more money . Greed is what motivates this decision as the bottom line is the cruise industry just makes more money. Yarra bay has significant heritage to the local aboriginal community and complete disregard has been given to them. I am 100% opposed to this proposed terminal.