 | Looking back on the past year, it’s a pleasure to see just how much our small team has achieved.We are enabling new opportunities for housing, jobs and education; delivering fantastic public spaces and continuing to drive economic growth in the Hunter and Central Coast. This year we have continued to demonstrate regional leadership through strategic engagement with key stakeholders driving the Broadmeadow and High Speed Rail projects that will see ongoing economic development of the region for the next 30 years. We’ve also continued to play a significant role in stimulating housing in the region. I'm pleased to share with you some highlights from the year and look forward to continuing our work in delivering region shaping outcomes that will provide long-lasting benefits for the community. Valentina Misevska |
remediation project officially complete.
217 ha unlocked for economic development.
enabled by HCCDC and under construction this year.
attended 200+ events at The Station over the last 12 months!
Highlights
About us
HCCDC is an agile delivery agency, powered to unlock and deliver outcomes that revitalise the Hunter and Central Coast regions.
We sit in the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and work alongside other government agencies, local councils, key stakeholders and the community to deliver quality outcomes that benefit and enhance our regions.
Central Coast projects
University of Newcastle (UoN), |  |
Mount Penang ParklandsHCCDC owns and manages the Mount Penang Parklands – a Central Coast precinct for tourism, recreation, business and education. Our vision is to create an active and sustainable precinct, with regular infrastructure upgrades improving the visitor experience. In 2024-25, we completed a feasibility study to extend Festival Drive in the Parklands. This has the potential to unlock employment lands and accelerate future land use to create jobs. We also recently completed significant renovation works to business park heritage cottages used by the NAISDA Indigenous Dance College. As part of our ongoing maintenance program, we have replaced or repaired everything from foundations and flooring to roofs and waterproofing. This will preserve these highly significant heritage assets for years to come. |  |
Gosford waterfrontNSW Government has appointed HCCDC to lead the Gosford waterfront project. This year we have undertaken investigative studies including capturing pedestrian, cycling and walking movements along the waterfront. The insights from this study will help inform planning, and guide locations for new amenity and public space improvements. | |
Lake Macquarie projects
Cockle CreekIn Lake Macquarie, HCCDC owns and manages land in Lake Macquarie's Cockle Creek precinct. We are responsible for the site's environmental management and its future development as a commercial, industrial and housing centre. In 2025, NSW Government announced that new planning controls will be implemented in Cockle Creek, creating new homes and jobs as part of a State-led rezoning. The program aims to create a mixed-use outcome – with the rezoned land supporting the region’s housing needs, as well as enabling future public space, retail and commercial development in the precinct. We will continue to work closely with NSW Government and Lake Macquarie City Council to finalise details of the rezoning. |  |
Safer Cities programHCCDC is delivering a vibrant and inclusive public space in Lake Macquarie as part of NSW Government’s Safer Cities program, which aims to improve feelings of safety for girls and young women in public. Following a co-design workshop with local teenage girls in 2024, we worked with development partners to plan and design enhancements for Bernie Goodwin Park in Morisset. In line with feedback from the girls, we are adding social seating, hammocks, inlaid trampolines, landscaped gardens and new trees to create a space where everyone can feel safe and welcome. Construction got underway in June 2025, with the new space expected to open to the public in August. |  |
Newcastle projects
Kooragang IslandIn 2024, we completed our role in one of the most significant remediation projects in Newcastle’s history. By finishing remediation works at Kooragang Island in Newcastle, we closed out a two-decade project to rehabilitate former steelworks land spanning a space the size of 290 football fields. This represents a major milestone in Newcastle’s history – and creates a valuable economic asset for the Hunter region. Port of Newcastle is now planning a clean energy precinct at Kooragang Island that will generate an estimated 5,800 jobs and position Newcastle as a leader in clean energy materials. The site is also delivering major ecological benefits, including new habitat for the protected green and golden bell frog and safeguarding the nearby Hunter Wetlands National Park. |  |
The StationThe Station is one of Newcastle’s most treasured heritage sites, and we are working to determine its exciting future as a landmark tourism and hospitality venue. In 2024 we began the process to identify an experienced operator to lead the site’s restoration, enhancement and long-term use. We look forward to sharing the outcome of this soon. While this is being planned, The Station’s ‘meanwhile’ use as a pop-up shopping, recreation and event space is attracting repeated visitation from both locals and tourists. This past year, the site hosted over 75,000 visitors at 200+ events, including food, wine and music festivals, markets and family days, workshops and wellbeing and fitness events. | |
HoneysuckleIn 2024 we unveiled a stunning Aboriginal artwork alongside Cottage Creek. Created by artists Raymond and Tyler Smith, 'Yimaliko Makoro' ('encourage the fish’) represents the creek’s cultural significance and the recent efforts to encourage sea life back into the waterway. Plans to transform the remaining undeveloped Honeysuckle land also progressed, as we work with potential proponents to realise our vision of a dynamic, mixed-use precinct. We expect to announce the successful development partner late this year. Site works also began on University of Newcastle's City Campus student accommodation building. This exciting project is set to bring more than 400 students into the CBD, along with staff facilities, retail and communal space. |  |