The Matilda Bay ferry terminal dispute has moved to the streets and the shoreline of Perth’s Crawley, with residents, sailors, rowers and disability advocates gathering at the bay on Sunday 18 October to call on the WA Government to pause the project. Local MP Jonathan Huston said more than 1,000 people attended the community action day, though that figure has not been independently confirmed.

The government says central Matilda Bay is the best site for a new METRONET on Swan ferry terminal and has defended its planning process. Here is what the two sides are saying, where the facts are disputed and how the community can follow what happens next.

What happened at the Matilda Bay rally

The Friends of Matilda Bay community action day ran from 11am to noon at the bay, with guest speakers including federal MP Kate Chaney, Brad Pettitt and Mr Huston, alongside environmental, sport and disability advocates, Have a Go News reported ahead of the event. There were also food trucks, coffee vans and family activities.

Friends of Matilda Bay spokesperson Megan Bagworth said the group supports better public transport and an expanded ferry network, but is concerned about the effect on the bay’s recreation, safety and environmental values. She said the bay is used every day by swimmers, children, rowers, sailors, paddlers, Sea Scouts and people with disabilities.

The Matilda Bay ferry terminal proposal

The terminal is part of the first phase of METRONET on Swan, a $107 million plan for two new terminals, at Matilda Bay and Applecross, linking with the existing Elizabeth Quay route. The government has said the project includes new electric ferries, and the development approvals were granted by the Western Australian Planning Commission.

The central Matilda Bay site, on Hackett Drive near The University of Western Australia and the QEII Medical Centre, was chosen in July 2025 after five sites were considered. The Matilda Bay terminal was costed at about $29.9 million, with tenders sought in May 2026 and the terminal due to open by late 2027, according to reports.

Why some residents and water users are concerned

The concerns raised by opponents fall into several areas:

• Safety: Sailability WA, which runs sailing for people with disabilities, has said its program could not continue if the terminal goes ahead. Opponents cite an independent risk review that they say identified far more risks at Matilda Bay than at an alternative site.
• Speed: The group says the Public Transport Authority has applied for an exemption that could let ferries travel at up to 25 knots, roughly 46 kilometres an hour, through sections currently limited to 8 knots.
• Environment and foreshore: Mr Huston says the terminal and associated facilities would be built in the bay and on its foreshore, and that a reported 39 to 50 trees would need to be removed.
• Process: Opponents want the government to release its multi-criteria site analysis and a comparison with the Nedlands (Jo Jo’s) jetty, about one kilometre south.

The campaign’s requests, set out by Sailability WA, are to pause ferry approvals and tenders, carry out a genuine comparative review of sites and risks, and guarantee that no speed exemptions are granted.

What the WA Government says

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has repeatedly defended the location. The government’s position, as set out in statements and reporting, includes:

• A multi-criteria analysis and independent risk assessment found central Matilda Bay to be the best of five sites.
• Alternative sites, including the Nedlands jetty, rated poorly on environmental impacts or were too far from the UWA campus.
• More than 50 stakeholder groups have been involved, including 20 on-water groups providing ongoing advice on safe sharing of the river.
• Proposed safeguards include a wide ferry exclusion zone, reduced speeds near the terminal and a 40-metre jetty so children and swimmers can stay near the shore.
• Ferry services operate safely in busier waterways elsewhere in Australia and the world.

Where the facts are disputed

Several central claims are contested. Mr Huston has rebutted each of the government’s points in a media statement, arguing that Sydney Harbour and the Brisbane River are not comparable to a bay with heavy recreational use, and that the safety measures have not been agreed with on-water groups. The government, for its part, says its assessment considered environmental, operational, waterway-safety and public-transport criteria.

Because the competing numbers come from advocates and the government respectively, readers may wish to read the original development approval documents and risk reports before drawing conclusions. Mr Huston, who became an independent in June 2026 after leaving the Liberal Party, has said he is not opposed to ferries on the Swan, only to this location.

How you can follow or get involved

• Join the next rally: A rally is planned at Parliament House on Thursday 12 November at 12.30pm, according to Sailability WA.
• Read the primary documents: Look up the development approval and the Public Transport Authority’s project information on the WA Government website.
• Contact your local MP: Share your views with the Transport Minister and your electorate representative.
• Support or oppose in good faith: Both sides say they want a better ferry network, so questions about location, speed and safeguards are the heart of the debate.

For more local stories, see our community news.

Frequently asked questions

Has the Matilda Bay ferry terminal been approved?

Reports say the Western Australian Planning Commission granted development approval, and the government has sought tenders for construction. Construction had not started at the time of the most recent reporting.

Does the community oppose ferries on the Swan River?

Organisers say they support an expanded ferry network and better public transport. Their objection is to the central Matilda Bay location and the speed and safety arrangements.

What is Jo Jo’s jetty?

Jo Jo’s is the Nedlands jetty roughly one kilometre south of the proposed site. Opponents want it assessed as an alternative, while the government says it rated lower overall.

When is the next rally?

A rally at Parliament House is planned for 12 November at 12.30pm.

Image: Cygnis insignis / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (cropped and resized)