Where Cruise Ships Dock in Australia - Part 1

View of Sydney Harbour from a Cruise Ship in Dock at Barangaroo Wharf

Here's a quick round-up of where cruise ships dock in Australian ports of call. You'll be able to plan your days ashore better if you know some practical information about where your ship will be.

Sydney: There are 2 wharves for cruise ships in Sydney Harbour: 

• The Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, right across the bay from the Sydney Opera House, is the prime site, with wonderful views, at the foot of the CBD and shopping precincts. It's a short, flat walk to the end of the pier where there are ferries, sightseeing buses, local city buses and trains.
• The other wharf is on the Darling Harbour side of The Rocks peninsular. It is a temporary wharf, Barangaroo, that will be closing next month. After that, the brand new cruise terminal at White Bay, 2.4 km west of the CBD, will be in action from mid April, 2013.

Brisbane: in the capital of Queensland, the Sunshine State, cruise ships berth at Portside Wharf, about 5 km from the centre of Brisbane. There are buses, taxis and river ferry boats to get from the dock to the CBD.

A Cruise Ship Berthed Close to the Centre of Cairns

Cairns: is another city where ships dock conveniently close to the city centre.

The new Cairns Cruise Line Terminal was completed in 2010, in a restored historic wharf shed, right on the waterfront of Trinity Inlet. It is a flat, 5 minute, two block walk from there into the shops and cafes of Cairns.

   In my next blog post I'll give you information on the Australian cruise ports of Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart and Fremantle.