Walsh Bay is of great historical significance and has played a major role in Sydney’s maritime past. In the 1820’s, a South Seas trader built the first wharf at Walsh Bay to accommodate ships carrying trade to and from Sydney Harbour, and Walsh Bay soon became a bustling, commercial port which echoed to the sounds of maritime activity. The original jetties eventually fell into disrepair and were demolished and re-built several times in the 1800's. The existing timber wharves were built between 1910-1920.
Wharf operations at Walsh Bay effectively ceased in the 1970’s and since then (with the exception of Wharf 4/5 which was restored in the mid-1980’s as a cultural complex) the wharves and bond stores deteriorated at a significant rate.
Final approval of Walsh Bay Partnership's Masterplan to revitalise Walsh Bay was granted on