Visit Sydney Fish Market

My best friend loves seafood and I had heard a lot about the Sydney fish market from her. She spoke about the lobsters and the amazing food available at the markets. Even though I am not a seafood eater, I wanted to visit the fish market to take some pictures as they form a perfect scene for drama. Markets are generally great places for photographs. Hence, earlier this week I finally went to the Sydney fish market with my friend.

Note: There are pictures that can be a bit uncomfortable for people who do not eat seafood. So, if you are one of those people then please do not proceed reading this post further.

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About Sydney fish market

Sitting on the Blackwattle Bay in Pyrmont, Sydney fish market is a large market place that has shops selling seafood from various fishing vendors. The fish market is owned by John Jeffreson who also owns another seafood retail store.

The Sydney fish market also has a few restaurants and cafes where one can eat freshly cooked seafood. The area has an open area to sit by the bay enjoying the fresh breeze. Beware of the seagulls though as your food could land up in a seagull’s mouth.

Since Sydney fish market is closer to Darling Harbour, one can do other things at Darling Harbour and Darling Harbour is an awesome place to spend an evening dining with friends.

A few interesting facts about Sydney fish market are:

Sydney fish market is the third largest fish market in the World and is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
It produces over 14500 tonnes of seafood annually.
The fish market operates the Sydney Seafood School that opened in the year 1989.
Trading hours: Monday to Sunday (everyday) 7 AM to 4 PM and Business hours: Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM.

How to get to Sydney fish market?

Driving – The easiest and quickest way to get to fish market is by driving. There are plenty of parking spaces available within the market area. The first hour is FREE of charge and for every next half an hour, there is a charge of AUD 5 per half an hour.
- Address: Sydney fish market, Bank street, Pyrmont, Blackwattle Bay, NSW 2009.

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Light rail – There are frequent light rails between Central train station/Haymarket/Town Hall and Sydney fish market. The name of the stop itself is Fish market stop.
Bus – There are buses from City with bus route numbers 501 and 389 that goes to the Sydney fish market. The bus stop is around 5 minutes walk from the market.
The up-to-date information and the accurate timings on public transportation in Sydney can be found on the Transport for New South Wales (NSW) website. Opal transportation or credit/debit cards can be used to pay for the fare. However, Opal cards get discounts on the fare.
Walking – The closest train station is Town Hall and one could walk from Town Hall to Sydney fish market via Darling Harbour. And this is what my friend and I did. The walk is around 1.8 kilometres (30 minutes) one way.
- While returning from the Sydney Fish Market, one can extend the walk from Darling Harbour to Wynyard and see some of the amazing landmarks.

Things to do

Buy fresh seafood – This the most obvious thing to do for people who love seafood and who love to cook. One can buy seafood in wholesale and for a lesser price when compared to the supermarkets.

Eat variety of seafood – One can get freshly cooked seafood. You name it and there is that seafood available. And the best thing is you can get the seafood cooked right in front of you on the spot. Even though I am not a fan of seafood and I generally avoid eating anything other than salmon, I did try the lemon scallops.

Behind the scenes tour – There are behind the scene tours conducted Monday, Thursday and Fridays at around 6:40 AM. Ensure to book your tours well in advance to get your spot. The bookings can be done by calling the office during the business hours.
Photography – I have repeated this multiple times already. If you love clicking some awesome dramatic pictures of seagulls flying around and people busy at work handling the seafood, lots of them, then this is the place for you. There are no less opportunities for photographs and I loved clicking each one of them even though I did feel sad for the lives at various times.
Enjoy the busy market – Just stroll around the market and enjoy the busy watching the busy working people. I enjoy people watching sometimes so it was perfect for me to sit by the dock and observe what other people were doing.

Safety for solo female travelers

Sydney is one of the safest cities I have ever traveled in. I have been in this beautiful city for 9 years and I have traveled to places alone many a times. I have never had any issues or concerns here in this city. However, like any other city know your surroundings and be cautious, especially at nights and Pyrmont as a suburb gets a bit quiet during nights.

Closing notes

If you are an avid photographer or love your seafood, then Sydney fish market is definitely a must visit. I loved taking colourful pictures whereas my friend loved eating and cherishing the fresh cooked seafood. So I definitely recommend visiting this place if you have an additional day or two in Sydney after covering every other sightseeing place. If you do not have time, then feel free to skip this place as it is not one of the must see places in Sydney. For the best things to do in Sydney, refer Sydney – the ultimate travel guide.