New Kurnell and La Perouse wharves will be good for fishing, but there won't be a regular ferry

But, cruises may take place sporadically and, besides, the costly wharves will provide "excellent fishing opportunities," a budget estimates hearing was told.

The previous government fuelled the expectation that reconstruction of the wharves would lead to the restoration of the service across Botany Bay that ended in 1974 after storm damage.

However, the hearing was told this was only a "long term" possibility.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen and Coordinator General, Transport for NSW, Howard Collins were grilled by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Mark Banasiak, who said it had "always been a dog of a project" and was "the epitome of white elephants".

Mr Collins said the present government had asked Transport for NSW to "look at the opportunity of providing a future ferry service".

"That doesn't mean to say that that will be in place on day one of the wharves opening next year," he said.

"It could be an Aboriginal immersion ferry service. I know my good friends in Tribal Warrior have done it on the Sydney Harbour.

"It could be... as we do on the Gunnamatta service - provide sunset cruises and morning teas. It could be something similar to that nature. It's a pretty beautiful spot, which obviously the national parks are very keen to improve upon."

Mr Collins said, "I think in past times there was a view that initially these two wharves wouldn't provide a public ferry service. I understand this Government has asked us to explore the possibility of a long-term strategy which could provide some form of public ferry service.

"As you know, the Fisher family up until 1974 provided a public transport ferry service between the two wharves.

"Obviously the wharf provides excellent boating facilities for people to use the wharf for other purposes.

"I think by the number of fishermen I spoke to when I was [at the La Perouse site] on Friday, they are excited about the fact that the wharves will provide excellent fishing opportunities for people to use the wharf."

Ms Haylen defended the decision not to cancel the project when she discovered soon after becoming minister the cost had risen to $78 million.

"To put it simply, it was too late to cancel the project," she said.

"That would also have an impact on some hundreds of jobs as well.

"I did ask whether we could re-use any of the components-for example, the steel piles, whether we could prevent wasting that money. It was clear to me that that was not a possibility, and so that project is proceeding."

Mr Banasiak: "We now have a $78 million ferry wharf with no public ferry service".

Ms Haylen: "I acknowledge that. I would also say that we are engaging with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and, indeed, First Nations landowners to ensure that this investment can deliver benefits for the community. We are doing our best to ensure that we get value for the taxpayer for this project, but I acknowledge that sometimes when you inherit these challenges, they are difficult."

Mr Collins was asked whether he stood by his department's decision to award a contract for the wharves nine months before federal government approval was received.

"The then transport secretary said that was highly unusual and wouldn't normally be done," Mr Banasiak said.

Mr Collins replied that "there was significant delay by the Federal Government in providing the information. We were promised detail on several occasions".

"This project was actually part of national parks," Mr Collins said. "It wasn't something that we came up with. It was part of a project to improve that area.

"I feel is a little bit disrespectful for those Aboriginal people who've supported this project, is to call it 'a dog of a project'.

"I really believe this is a project that, in the long term, if you want to come down and stand on the wharves - there are two of them- will be a benefit. The government made the right call to continue and not waste $46 million."

Mr Collins said the project had a long history, involving a number of ministers and senior officials from state and federal governments.

"Whilst it may not seem suitable for spending such money on a ferry service, I think my frank and fearless advice was about the absolute significance of this connection between these two lands, particularly for Aboriginal people.

"I was very passionate about ensuring that we didn't lose that connection, particularly for the La Perouse land council and those people who were transported across from Kurnell forcibly. Employing Gamay Rangers, Aboriginal people-to see those people working on those jobs...If we lost that, I think the community would be quite upset about it."