A growing public campaign is rallying to protect Matilda Bay in Perth from a proposed ferry terminal development that advocates say will severely disrupt vital community programmes and threaten the dreams of Paralympic athletes. In a recent interview on 6PR’s Drive with Oliver Peterson, Megan Bagworth, Chair of Safety on Swan, outlined the wide-ranging concerns about the proposed development and promoted a community action day planned for Sunday at Matilda Bay.
The rally will feature a 140-metre human chain to symbolise the length of the proposed ferry terminal, live music, paddleboarding, sandcastle competitions, and a line-up of speakers, including Perth Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds, environmentalist Paddy Cullen, members of the Vietnamese community, UWA students, and athletes. Notably, Federal Independent MP Kate Chaney and State MP Jonathan Huston for Nedlands will also speak at the event, representing a bipartisan concern over the project’s implications.
A major point of contention is the impact on the Matilda Bay Sailability programme, Western Australia's largest and most successful sailing initiative for people with disabilities. The programme serves 1,500 individuals annually and provides a rare opportunity for freedom and sport, particularly for high-performance athletes such as Kylie Forth—a blind, amputee sailor and world champion currently training for the World Championships and the Brisbane Paralympic Games. According to Bagworth, the location’s uniquely calm and protected waters are essential to the programme’s success and cannot be replicated elsewhere.
The proposed ferry terminal, which would cater to electric-powered ferries and offer access to the University of Western Australia, is seen by the government as a strategic transport hub. However, Bagworth argues that the JoJo's site—slightly upriver—is a safer and more sensible alternative. She explained that JoJo’s offers deep water, existing infrastructure, and proximity to key transport links like the free CAT bus connecting UWA and the QE2 precinct. The site could also better serve commuters and students travelling from the city and northern suburbs.
Bagworth insists the government’s plan is “unprecedented,” as there is no comparable ferry terminal located in an area with such a high density of vulnerable water users and clubs. She and other campaigners are calling for genuine engagement from Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti, who also serves as the Minister for Transport and Sport. So far, Saffioti has declined invitations to visit the site and has dismissed criticism as “scaremongering.” Bagworth, however, disputes that characterisation and maintains the campaign is evidence-based and collaborative.
Callers to the programme, including Judy from Nedlands, voiced frustration with the lack of ministerial engagement, noting that MPs like Kate Chaney and Jonathan Huston have made time to visit and understand the area’s unique community value. Judy detailed the range of local users—including Sea Scouts, junior sailing and windsurfing clubs, and blind and fishability sailing programmes—stressing that the bay is a vital, inclusive sporting and recreational hub for the city.