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Turns out that crusty old wharf you ignored on your ferry ride—yes, that one near the Anzac Bridge—is now Australia’s secret weapon. Glebe Island, Sydney’s final working port, has gone from industrial relic to national security darling. According to a spicy new report, if Australia finds itself in a future conflict or disaster, this long-snubbed patch of rust and rubble could be the difference between smooth supply chains and total chaos.

+ABC News This is the same port that’s been treated like the junk drawer of Sydney: dusty, loud, and full of stuff no one wants to deal with—mainly bulk construction materials and the occasional existential crisis. For years, developers and politicians practically tripped over themselves trying to turn it into the next Barangaroo, complete with rooftop bars and luxury dog spas.

But while everyone was busy gentrifying everything with a view, it turns out someone finally asked: “What if we actually need a functioning port?” +Sydney Morning Herald In a surprise plot twist worthy of a prestige TV finale, defence and logistics experts now say Glebe Island could be mission-critical in emergencies—whether it’s supplying fuel, military hardware, or giant inflatable Prime Ministers during morale-boosting parades.

The report also politely points out that shutting down your last operational port in the country’s biggest city? Not exactly peak strategic thinking. +The Guardian As for the latest? The federal government is now reviewing the port’s role under the umbrella of “critical infrastructure”—which is bureaucratic code for we should’ve thought this through sooner.

Locals, who were once promised swanky waterfront apartments, are now being told the future is more forklifts than fine dining. Glebe Island’s glow-up may not be glamorous, but in a crisis, ugly and useful beats pretty and useless every time. +News.com.au