The final stage of Newcastle Harbour’s revitalisation, with its rebuilt seawalls made from recycled concrete, will be delivered by Australia’s largest private developer.
For 30 years, the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) has been overseeing the former industrial area’s renewal to open up the area to the public and this project is the final stage.
The NSW Government has appointed DOMA Group, a residential, hotel and commercial developer, to deliver Honeysuckle HQ, also known as Newcastle Quay precinct.
The HCCDC revealed it maintains 3km of seawall along the Honeysuckle promenade.
“To date we have recycled 8000 tonnes of processed concrete from the old wharves into new seawalls,” the corporation stated. “In 2020 we completed rebuilding the 75-year-old harbour seawalls at Lee 5 and Throsby in preparation for Honeysuckle’s new public domain.”
The $1.6 billion proposed project will include 1000 new homes, commercial and retail space to support 4000 workers, and a new 180-room hotel and conference centre integrated with the heritage-listed Wickham School of Arts.
The precinct will feature more than 11,000 square metres of public open space, including a new waterfront park known as Honeysuckle Green, a Wickham School of Arts-anchored plaza, improved pedestrian connections, and shared public spaces designed to maximise community access to the harbourfront. It will also include 28,000 square metres of commercial office space.
The project is expected to deliver significant economic benefits for Newcastle and the wider Hunter region, supporting jobs during construction and helping grow the city’s visitor, tourism, and night-time economies, according to the state government. DOMA Group said it would be a second CBD for Newcastle.
Construction is anticipated to contribute around $80 million annually to the economy, the NSW Government stated. Site preparation works are expected to begin in 2026.
Image: Honeysuckle HQ’s seawalls made of 8000 tonnes of recycled concrete. Credit: NSW Govt.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia, at the helm since December 2013, and our weekly news writer since 2016. Her expertise in this field forms part of a journalism career spanning three decades. To get in touch please email desi@corbettcomms.com