Neutral Bay Wharf
Fishing Charter Pickup
The Hayes Street wharf, tucked in at the foot of Kurraba Point. About ten minutes by ferry from Circular Quay, the quickest wharf to reach coming south over the Harbour Bridge, and straight onto the harbour fishing grounds.
Boarding at Neutral Bay Wharf
Neutral Bay Wharf sits at the end of Hayes Street, at the foot of Kurraba Point on the lower north shore. Locals know it as the Hayes Street wharf, which is worth remembering because there are several wharves around this stretch of water, including Kurraba Point just around the corner. The current structure was rebuilt and reopened in August 2012 and is listed as accessible.
It is a compact, residential, unfussy spot. There is no big car park and no promenade, just a wharf at the bottom of a quiet street with houses and boatsheds either side and North Sydney’s towers behind. That is part of the appeal: you are ten minutes from the middle of the city and it feels like a village.
For anyone on the north shore, this is often the fastest wharf to reach. You are barely past the northern end of the Harbour Bridge, so North Sydney, Kirribilli, Cremorne, Cammeray, Crows Nest and Lane Cove are all a short drive away and nobody has to sit in city traffic.
Neutral Bay Wharf at a glance
Everything you need to plan the morning. Parking signage, ferry timetables and bus routes do change, so please check the current details before you set out.
| Wharf | Neutral Bay Wharf, also known as Hayes Street Wharf |
|---|---|
| Address | Hayes Street, Neutral Bay NSW 2089 |
| Area | Lower north shore, foot of Kurraba Point |
| Side of the harbour | Northern side, just east of the Harbour Bridge |
| Ferry route | F5 Neutral Bay from Circular Quay, about 10 minutes |
| Bus routes | 225 to Cremorne Point, plus Military Road services to Neutral Bay Junction |
| Nearest train | Milsons Point or North Sydney (T1), then a bus or a short taxi |
| Parking | Limited. Time-limited and permit parking on Hayes Street and Kurraba Road, more a 20 to 30 minute walk away |
| Step-free access | Yes, the wharf is listed as accessible |
| Food and coffee | Cafes on Hayes Street and around Kurraba Road, with more at Neutral Bay Junction on Military Road |
| Cruise to Sydney Heads | Roughly 20 minutes, conditions depending |
| Best for | North Sydney, Kirribilli, Cremorne, Cammeray, Crows Nest, Lane Cove, Willoughby |
Driving, parking and public transport
Fast to reach, harder to park at. This is a wharf that rewards arriving by ferry or being dropped off.
Driving and parking
Be honest with yourself about parking here. There is some on-street parking on Hayes Street and along Kurraba Road, but a lot of it is time limited or resident permit only, and the streets are narrow and busy with residents. Anything with a longer limit tends to be a twenty to thirty minute walk back up the hill, which is not much fun with tackle bags.
The practical answer for most groups is to have one person drop everyone at the wharf and then park further out, or to skip the car entirely. Getting here is quick from anywhere on the north shore, so the drive is the easy part. It is the last hundred metres that catches people out.
Ferry, bus and taxi
The F5 Neutral Bay ferry from Circular Quay runs to the Hayes Street wharf and takes about ten minutes, which makes this one of the quickest wharves to reach from the city by water. If your group is meeting in town first, that is the cleanest way to arrive.
Bus route 225 links the wharf with Cremorne Point, and the Military Road services stop at Neutral Bay Junction, leaving you a walk downhill to the water. There is no train station in Neutral Bay itself, so from the T1 line get off at Milsons Point or North Sydney and take a bus or a short taxi. Rideshare is quick and cheap from anywhere on the lower north shore.
Who Neutral Bay Wharf suits
North shore crews who want the shortest possible trip to the boat. From North Sydney, Kirribilli, Cremorne, Cammeray, Crows Nest, Wollstonecraft, Lane Cove or Willoughby you are here in minutes, without crossing the bridge or dealing with the city. It is also an easy meeting point if part of the group is coming out of the city by ferry.
The fishing suits it well. You are on the harbour proper almost as soon as you leave the bay, so kingfish, jigging and sport fishing trips working the reefs, moorings and washes get started quickly. For game fishing or deep sea days allow about twenty minutes to reach the Heads, which is perfectly reasonable for a full day out.
The one thing to plan is the car. If your group is arriving in several vehicles, or you want to leave a car all day, Mosman Wharf a few minutes further east has free untimed street parking and is the better choice.
Neutral Bay Wharf questions
Where exactly is Neutral Bay Wharf?
At the end of Hayes Street, Neutral Bay NSW 2089, at the foot of Kurraba Point. It is often called the Hayes Street wharf. There are several wharves around this stretch of water, including Kurraba Point just around the corner, so we will send you the exact meeting point when you book.
Is there parking at the wharf?
Limited. There is some on-street parking on Hayes Street and Kurraba Road, much of it time limited or permit only, with longer stay options a twenty to thirty minute walk away. For a half or full day charter, the F5 ferry, a bus to Neutral Bay Junction or a drop-off at the wharf is usually easier.
Which ferry goes to Neutral Bay?
The F5 Neutral Bay service from Circular Quay, which reaches the Hayes Street wharf in about ten minutes. Bus route 225 connects the wharf with Cremorne Point, and Military Road buses stop at Neutral Bay Junction a walk uphill. There is no train station in Neutral Bay.
How long is the run out to the fishing grounds?
Roughly twenty minutes of cruising to Sydney Heads, conditions depending. The harbour grounds start much sooner than that, so on a kingfish, jigging or sport fishing trip you will often be fishing within a few minutes of leaving the bay.
Where can we grab a coffee first?
There are cafes on Hayes Street and around Kurraba Road within a couple of minutes of the wharf, and a much bigger choice up at Neutral Bay Junction on Military Road, along with pubs for afterwards. Check opening times if you are on a 6:30am start, as not everything is open that early.
Is the wharf accessible?
Yes, the wharf was rebuilt and reopened in August 2012 and is listed as accessible. Getting from the wharf onto a fishing boat still depends on the tide and the vessel, so please tell us about any mobility needs when you enquire and we will suggest the right boat and wharf.
Our other Sydney Harbour pickup wharves
These are the wharves we use most, but they are not the only ones. We can collect your group from almost any public wharf on Sydney Harbour, so if none of these suit, just tell us your suburb.
Thames Street Wharf, Balmain
A quiet working wharf on the Balmain peninsula with its own small car park, five minutes from the Darling Street cafes.
Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour
The CBD pickup beside SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, step-free and easy for a group arriving from all over the city.
Double Bay Wharf
Step-free access beside Steyne Park, a flat five-minute walk from the Bay Street and Knox Street cafes.
Watsons Bay Wharf
The closest wharf to the Heads. Board here and you are in open water within minutes of casting off.
Rose Bay Wharf
The best parking of the eastern wharves thanks to Lyne Park, with waterfront cafes either side of the wharf.
Mosman Wharf
A deep, sheltered bay at the bottom of Avenue Road with free untimed street parking a short walk away.
Compare every pickup wharf
Parking, ferry routes and travel times for all seven wharves side by side, plus how pickup and drop-off works.
Fishing charter pickup at Neutral Bay
Tell us your dates, your crew size and what you would like to catch, and we will meet you at the Hayes Street wharf. All rods, reels, bait and tackle supplied, every level welcome. See the charter prices or browse all Sydney fishing charters.