Fishy Business

The story of Sydney and its fish markets

By: John Faulkner

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Hardcover | 16 September 2025

At a Glance

Hardcover
256 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
24.0 x 22.0

Hardcover

RRP $45.00

$35.75

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Richly illustrated and entertainingly told, this is the complete and fascinating history of a beloved Sydney institution by passionate patron and former senator

For millennia, the Aboriginal people of coastal Sydney lived in harmony with the natural environment. Fishing and shell fishing were a way of life. Everything changed with the arrival of the First Fleet. Fishing quickly became important to the European colonists. The place where the fisherman's catch was sold also became important - and colour and controversy were never far away from Sydney's markets.

From Woolloomooloo to Redfern, Haymarket and Blackwattle Bay - with its new world-class facility - the Sydney Fish Market has become an institution. Its history is filled with larger-than-life characters, political machinations and shady dealings, as well as the incredible success stories of hardworking families, many of whom arrived in Australia as migrants from Europe and Asia.

John Faulkner, a former senator, has been passionate about the Sydney Fish Market for decades. His many years of speaking with its people and recording its rich history are brought together in Fishy Business - the complete and colourful story of a Sydney icon.

'An epic 250-year-old story full of fascinating glimpses of Sydney's past. Fishy Business tells us something deeper about life in Sydney. In John's hands, the fish markets are a window into the wider culture, about what it means to live in a great port city, built on what Arthur Phillip called one of the finest harbours in the world. It's the story of Sydney and it's also the story of the fishing trade. A fantastic book - John Faulkner has done Sydney a great service.' The Hon. Chris Minns MP, Premier of New South Wales

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