$78M Kurnell Kamay Ferry Wharf to Host World’s First Tinny Rideshare: Tideshare

Brock Ledger | Economics Correspondent | Sutherland Shire Gazette

7 March 2025

The newly opened Kamay Ferry Wharf in Kurnell—built for a cool $78 million—was meant to reconnect the historic ferry route from Kurnell to La Perouse. But when the NSW Government recently put out an official call for ferry operators, the response was overwhelming: absolutely no one was interested.

With the wharf sitting empty, an entrepreneurial group of Shire locals saw an opportunity. Enter TideShare, the world’s first tinny rideshare, offering passengers a no-frills, high-thrills alternative to the ferry service that never was.

“We saw the government couldn’t get anyone to run the route, and we thought, ‘Well, we’ve got tinnies,’” said part-time deckhand and full-time genius Brett “Baz” McPherson. “Honestly, we’re just filling a public transport gap. We’re basically we’re solving a public transport crisis.”

Unlike a regular ferry, TideShare operates on flexible departure times—mostly determined by when Baz knocks off work or when the tide is right. Fares are set at $10 a head or free if passengers bring an esky everyone can share. However, passengers should be prepared for some level of involvement in their journey. Depending on the chop, they may be required to shift between the middle and back row for weight distribution, and those wanting to ensure the tinny planes properly might be asked to bring an esky to help weigh down the front.

Entertainment is provided via a carefully curated Spotify playlist, although skipping Cold Chisel tracks is strictly forbidden. Despite minor concerns about safety, legality, and basic maritime regulations, locals are already on board. “It’s either this or we turn the wharf into a floating BCF outlet,” said an anonymous backer.

Will TideShare be the Shire’s answer to Uber, or just another great idea born from too many beers at the boat ramp? Only time—and maritime law—will tell.