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Honeysuckle

The Honeysuckle Precinct is the region’s foremost social gathering place, with a collection of restaurants, cafes, public space, live entertainment and cultural activity making it a vibrant destination where there is always something happening.

Harbour Square is a wide area of open space where a unique sculpture and interactive water feature invite small hands and feet to play, while The Boardwalk just next to Harbour Square is an enticing option, with its assortment of restaurants and casual bars and cafes.

Now in construction is the Lee Wharf development, a mixture of lifestyle-retail shops, cafes, restaurants and residential opening to the foreshore promenade. Nearby, the heritage-listed railway workshops have been restored – some are being adaptively re-used (as The Forum Health and Wellness Centre and for the Wineselectors) and others will soon be the new home for the Newcastle Regional Museum.

Planned outcome/impact Achieved Outstanding
Community uses and cultural uses Railways workshops used as markets, for events and performance space 1995 to 2008 2010 opening of relocated Newcastle Regional Museum
Hotel Crowne Plaza opened 175 rooms in 2003
Link to water Harbour Square and wharves
Links to cultural precinct Landscaping and pedestrian plans links Honeysuckle workshops buildings through to Wheeler place and cultural precinct
Provision of open space Open space provide as harbour promenade, Harbour Square, heritage building curtilage
Entertainment facilities
  • Worksop buildings and Harbour Square regularly used as community cultural events
  • Maritime Museum in Lee Wharf Building A
  • 10 new eating establishments opened along the Boardwalk development
Housing Approx 460 new dwelling units Completed
Car parking
  • On site provision development
  • Temporary parking for 200 cars
 400 planned Each develop has provided limited parking
Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings Buildings used for a range of uses including commercial offices, show rooms, function space, gym, markets and cultural spaces (museum)
Restoration of heritage buildings Complete restoration in accordance with Burra Charter
Interpretation of heritage Public
  • Domain strategy based on interpretation of heritage
  • Bollards through Workshop way developed under public art program and reflect local heritage
Connection to Hunter Street Not achieved
New commercial floorspace
  • 46,500m2 commercial
  • 5,100m2 retail
  • 4,500m2 restaurant
  • 12000m2 hotel