A minister for the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has announced construction of a new ferry hub in central Sydney.
Known as the Barangaroo ferry hub, tenders are now open for the project, with planning underway for the wharf to be ready for customers by 2016.
Residents, visitors and workers are expected to start moving into the Barangaroo area from the middle of next year, and many are expected to travel to and from the area by ferry, said NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian.
The southern end of the Barangaroo development is expected to cater for 11,000 workers by the end of 2015, increasing to around 19,000 by late 2016.
Full occupation of Barangaroo south will be by August 2019 with 23,000 workers.
Ms Berejiklian added not only will the new ferry hub serve Sydney's newest commercial district, it will relieve future capacity constraints at the city's current hub of Circular Quay.
"A new ferry hub at Barangaroo will provide room for additional ferry services from the Parramatta River to Darling Harbour and Barangaroo, as well as direct access to and from the Eastern Suburbs and lower North Shore," she said.
The Barangaroo ferry hub will connect ferry customers to the city centre via Wynyard Walk, a pedestrian link between Barangaroo and Wynyard Station. Wynyard Walk is scheduled for completion in late 2015.