Sydney Fish Market and Barangaroo Cutaway Showcase Australia's Timber Engineering Ambition

The Timber Development Association has highlighted two of Sydney's most striking recent construction projects as evidence of the growing sophistication of timber engineering in Australia, hosting a site tour that took in the new Sydney Fish Market and the Cutaway at Barangaroo.

The visit was led by David Rowlinson and Kylan Low of the Timber Development Association, alongside Jack Kibby from construction firm FDC. Participants were taken through both buildings, culminating in a guided tour of the Cutaway — an extraordinary underground cultural space beneath the Barangaroo headland. Rowlinson suggested that either project could be a strong contender in this year's Australian Timber Design Awards, for which entries are now open.

A sandstone cavern transformed

The Cutaway began as a bare excavation beneath the headland — a utilitarian void that gave little indication of what it would become. A major fit-out transformed the space through the introduction of 13 engineered timber columns, designed to evoke trees rising through a sandstone forest floor. The effect is striking: mass-timber structures extend organically into the exposed rock surroundings, softening the industrial character of the underground environment. The Cutaway is now considered one of Sydney's largest underground cultural spaces, with a project value of approximately $100 million.

A new landmark on the waterfront

Across the harbour, the new Sydney Fish Market opened in January and has drawn large crowds to Blackwattle Bay since its debut. Where the Cutaway draws the eye downward into the earth, the Fish Market spreads outward toward the water, its broad timber roof sheltering visitors and framing views of the bay. The development has been described as the most significant harbourside project Sydney has seen in half a century.

For Low, the two buildings together tell a compelling story about the current state of Australian timber construction.

"Australian timber construction is pushing the global frontier." — Kylan Low, Timber Development Association

The Australian Timber Design Awards recognise outstanding work across residential, commercial, and public categories, and are open to projects of varying scales — from carefully designed private homes to landmark public buildings such as those showcased on the tour. Entries are now open.