'Left in the dark': council denies lack of consultation on Rail Bridge Row plans
Rail Bridge Row is the last remaining section of former heavy rail corridor land to be redeveloped on Hunter Street and is earmarked for a mixed-use affordable housing development.
Ms Parkinson said she and other residents were not told that work would be undertaken on the site.
"Surely we should have been consulted; this is what they [the council] got called out on [in the Davidson Review]," she said.
"They won't answer questions; numerous owners have asked what they're doing.
"There's been no community consultation, none at all."
City of Newcastle denies claims it has not consulted nearby residents. A council spokesman told the Newcastle Herald notification letters were sent to nearby residents and that early site investigations "actually commenced in September last year".
"It's surprising that anyone living nearby would suggest they were unaware of the project or the early works," he said.
"Since that time [September], workers have been undertaking geotechnical, mine subsidence, site services and cultural investigations to understand site conditions for future redevelopment.
"This work concludes in the next week."
The council purchased the Hunter Street site in 2019 from the state government with a commitment to develop it as affordable housing.
The 4125 square-metre lot at 280 Hunter Street stretches from Brown Street towards the intersection of Darby and Hunter Street, opposite the Crown Street light rail stop.
In March this year, the council called for expressions of interest for a development partner to design, finance, build and operate an affordable housing project on the site.
The council spokesman said it is well advanced in its search and expects to finalise a partner by the end of the year.
"Some of the nearby residents have objected to the affordable housing component of the project," he said.
"This commitment to affordable housing has been widely reported on in the media and is supported by the current elected council as well as the two previous councils."
The site has also been earmarked to deliver an east-west commuter cycleway connection between Argyle Street and Wharf Road.
Ms Parkinson said the back wall of her building would sit against the future development.
"I'll lose all my privacy, and there's been no consultation," she said.
"It's just so distressing, and it causes a lot of mental anxiety for everybody.
"That's what we're all going through; it's making us all the more anxious because nobody is getting any answers."
The council has publicly stated that once a development partner is selected, consultation with the community will occur as part of the planning process.
The site has the potential to provide more than 30 affordable housing units, which would be operated by an experienced community housing provider.
Once expressions of interest have been assessed, parties may be invited to submit detailed proposals later in 2025.
WHARF Road resident Marilyn Parkinson says she and others have been left in the dark about plans for Rail Bridge Row as the City of Newcastle undertakes early works on the site.
Rail Bridge Row is the last remaining section of former heavy rail corridor land to be redeveloped on Hunter Street and is earmarked for a mixed-use affordable housing development.
Ms Parkinson said she and other residents were not told that work would be undertaken on the site.
"Surely we should have been consulted; this is what they [the council] got called out on [in the Davidson Review]," she said.
"They won't answer questions; numerous owners have asked what they're doing.
"There's been no community consultation, none at all."
City of Newcastle denies claims it has not consulted nearby residents. A council spokesman told the Newcastle Herald notification letters were sent to nearby residents and that early site investigations "actually commenced in September last year".
"It's surprising that anyone living nearby would suggest they were unaware of the project or the early works," he said.
"Since that time [September], workers have been undertaking geotechnical, mine subsidence, site services and cultural investigations to understand site conditions for future redevelopment.
"This work concludes in the next week."
The council purchased the Hunter Street site in 2019 from the state government with a commitment to develop it as affordable housing.
The 4125 square-metre lot at 280 Hunter Street stretches from Brown Street towards the intersection of Darby and Hunter Street, opposite the Crown Street light rail stop.
In March this year, the council called for expressions of interest for a development partner to design, finance, build and operate an affordable housing project on the site.
The council spokesman said it is well advanced in its search and expects to finalise a partner by the end of the year.
"Some of the nearby residents have objected to the affordable housing component of the project," he said.
"This commitment to affordable housing has been widely reported on in the media and is supported by the current elected council as well as the two previous councils."
The site has also been earmarked to deliver an east-west commuter cycleway connection between Argyle Street and Wharf Road.
Ms Parkinson said the back wall of her building would sit against the future development.
"I'll lose all my privacy, and there's been no consultation," she said.
"It's just so distressing, and it causes a lot of mental anxiety for everybody.
"That's what we're all going through; it's making us all the more anxious because nobody is getting any answers."
The council has publicly stated that once a development partner is selected, consultation with the community will occur as part of the planning process.
The site has the potential to provide more than 30 affordable housing units, which would be operated by an experienced community housing provider.
Once expressions of interest have been assessed, parties may be invited to submit detailed proposals later in 2025.
WHARF Road resident Marilyn Parkinson says she and others have been left in the dark about plans for Rail Bridge Row as the City of Newcastle undertakes early works on the site.
Rail Bridge Row is the last remaining section of former heavy rail corridor land to be redeveloped on Hunter Street and is earmarked for a mixed-use affordable housing development.
Ms Parkinson said she and other residents were not told that work would be undertaken on the site.
"Surely we should have been consulted; this is what they [the council] got called out on [in the Davidson Review]," she said.
"They won't answer questions; numerous owners have asked what they're doing.
"There's been no community consultation, none at all."
City of Newcastle denies claims it has not consulted nearby residents. A council spokesman told the Newcastle Herald notification letters were sent to nearby residents and that early site investigations "actually commenced in September last year".
"It's surprising that anyone living nearby would suggest they were unaware of the project or the early works," he said.
"Since that time [September], workers have been undertaking geotechnical, mine subsidence, site services and cultural investigations to understand site conditions for future redevelopment.
"This work concludes in the next week."
The council purchased the Hunter Street site in 2019 from the state government with a commitment to develop it as affordable housing.
The 4125 square-metre lot at 280 Hunter Street stretches from Brown Street towards the intersection of Darby and Hunter Street, opposite the Crown Street light rail stop.
In March this year, the council called for expressions of interest for a development partner to design, finance, build and operate an affordable housing project on the site.
The council spokesman said it is well advanced in its search and expects to finalise a partner by the end of the year.
"Some of the nearby residents have objected to the affordable housing component of the project," he said.
"This commitment to affordable housing has been widely reported on in the media and is supported by the current elected council as well as the two previous councils."
The site has also been earmarked to deliver an east-west commuter cycleway connection between Argyle Street and Wharf Road.
Ms Parkinson said the back wall of her building would sit against the future development.
"I'll lose all my privacy, and there's been no consultation," she said.
"It's just so distressing, and it causes a lot of mental anxiety for everybody.
"That's what we're all going through; it's making us all the more anxious because nobody is getting any answers."
The council has publicly stated that once a development partner is selected, consultation with the community will occur as part of the planning process.
The site has the potential to provide more than 30 affordable housing units, which would be operated by an experienced community housing provider.
Once expressions of interest have been assessed, parties may be invited to submit detailed proposals later in 2025.
WHARF Road resident Marilyn Parkinson says she and others have been left in the dark about plans for Rail Bridge Row as the City of Newcastle undertakes early works on the site.
Rail Bridge Row is the last remaining section of former heavy rail corridor land to be redeveloped on Hunter Street and is earmarked for a mixed-use affordable housing development.
Ms Parkinson said she and other residents were not told that work would be undertaken on the site.
"Surely we should have been consulted; this is what they [the council] got called out on [in the Davidson Review]," she said.
"They won't answer questions; numerous owners have asked what they're doing.
"There's been no community consultation, none at all."
City of Newcastle denies claims it has not consulted nearby residents. A council spokesman told the Newcastle Herald notification letters were sent to nearby residents and that early site investigations "actually commenced in September last year".
"It's surprising that anyone living nearby would suggest they were unaware of the project or the early works," he said.
"Since that time [September], workers have been undertaking geotechnical, mine subsidence, site services and cultural investigations to understand site conditions for future redevelopment.
"This work concludes in the next week."
The council purchased the Hunter Street site in 2019 from the state government with a commitment to develop it as affordable housing.
The 4125 square-metre lot at 280 Hunter Street stretches from Brown Street towards the intersection of Darby and Hunter Street, opposite the Crown Street light rail stop.
In March this year, the council called for expressions of interest for a development partner to design, finance, build and operate an affordable housing project on the site.
The council spokesman said it is well advanced in its search and expects to finalise a partner by the end of the year.
"Some of the nearby residents have objected to the affordable housing component of the project," he said.
"This commitment to affordable housing has been widely reported on in the media and is supported by the current elected council as well as the two previous councils."
The site has also been earmarked to deliver an east-west commuter cycleway connection between Argyle Street and Wharf Road.
Ms Parkinson said the back wall of her building would sit against the future development.
"I'll lose all my privacy, and there's been no consultation," she said.
"It's just so distressing, and it causes a lot of mental anxiety for everybody.
"That's what we're all going through; it's making us all the more anxious because nobody is getting any answers."
The council has publicly stated that once a development partner is selected, consultation with the community will occur as part of the planning process.
The site has the potential to provide more than 30 affordable housing units, which would be operated by an experienced community housing provider.
Once expressions of interest have been assessed, parties may be invited to submit detailed proposals later in 2025.
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News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Developers push for new city at North Arm Cove north of Sydney
Like some Mayan mystery, a fully designed city lies hidden in the Australian bushland just two hours north of Sydney and it could soon become the country's newest settlement. Located in present-day North Arm Cove, just north of Newcastle in the Hunter Valley, the city includes a complex web of housing lots with plans for train and port terminals and administrative buildings. For years, it lay dormant as a 'paper subdivision', meaning it has been legally divided into lots but has never been physically developed with roads or power infrastructure. But that is now changing and a recent rezoning decision means the lost city could soon rise up out of the bush. 'It's going to be developed, it's just a question of how,' Desim Arch architect Dejan Simovic told NewsWire this week. 'It's part of the northern suburbs of Newcastle, so sooner or later … it's definitely going to be developed.' Mr Simovic and his wife Tatjana Djuric-Simovic are pushing for 'sustainable' development at North Arm Cove and hope to fulfil a vision for the city outlined by legendary Canberra architect Walter Burley Griffin a century ago. Mr Griffin sketched out the city, which he called Port Stephens City, on 'garden city' principles, typified by expanding concentric rings of development all connected via train. 'You can see that really clearly in the Port Stephens city design,' urban planning guru Sam Austin told NewsWire. 'It has a very central rail terminal and then you can see a concentric circle design that extends out of it.' The Simovics worry about 'western Sydney' style development engulfing the area and propose instead a 'circular economy' city that is self-reliant at a local level. 'It will be local, precinct based,' Mr Simovic said. 'We're going to have our own treatment plant for water and then generating electricity and data and for the roads. 'It's all based on a circular economy, all based on locals using and reusing water and power and recycling the waste. 'That's the basic principle. We would like to be the first circular city or town in Australia.' There are powerful reasons, however, why the city has remained bushland scrub for decades. The area sits within the Mid-Coast Council local government area and the council has long argued development at North Arm Cove would be 'prohibitively expensive' given the lack of any road, power or drainage infrastructure. The council pushed for the area to be rezoned to 'environmental management', which would have stopped any development. But in 2024, the state government instructed the council to rezone it into 'environmental living', which has cracked open the door to new building. 'Council has always rejected the notion they could rezone this land because there are too many constraints and the cost was too high,' North Arm Cove Ratepayers Association president David Buxton told NewsWire. 'But all of that seems to have changed in the past five years, for a number of things.' Mr Buxton said NSW's sharpening housing shortages had in part prompted the state government's rezoning push. The new local environment plan is expected to come into effect later this year. There are about 4000 lots at North Arm Cove, with about 1000 of them owned by the council. There were now 'two entities' eager to build out the area, Mr Buxton added. Those are Desim and a property developer called Alathan. Alathan has lodged a 'scoping proposal' with the council outlining how the company sees the future of the area. 'They (Alathan) are going down the investigative path, they are getting feedback,' Mr Buxton said. 'In my way of thinking, they are committed, they are willing to spend the money, as long as they don't get ridiculous hurdles put in front of them.' The next phase is a development control plan, which is a detailed document that outlines building dimensions, form and scale. Mr Buxton estimates the cost to produce a plan to be in the range of $5m to $10m. Mr Simovic said he would apply for federal government grant funding to finance his DEP. Building out infrastructure for the new city would likely cost north of $1bn, Mr Simovic said. 'We already have interest from infrastructure companies to fund doing the infrastructure and then later managing it and repayments through loans and other things,' Mr Simovic said. 'We have all of that structure set up, the question now is just who is going to fund preparation plans. 'That's where we expect support from the government, just to get the grant from the federal government.' But there are huge challenges in getting the city up. Aside from the cost of the infrastructure build-out, any development plan needs majority approval from landholders. Mr Austin, meanwhile, has expressed caution about building brand new cities. 'I much prefer to see urban consolidation or development around existing settlements, particularly given there is very strong ecological value in that area,' he said. 'I do have some reservations on broad scale development in essentially pristine bushland, which is what it is.'
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
From the ritz to the rubble: Queens Wharf building through the years
As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?
With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
