The cultural heart of Newcastle

Our cultural institutions are at the heart of Newcastle’s vibrant city. To enhance and celebrate this, we’ve developed the Civic Public Domain Plan (PDP)—a guiding framework to deliver high-quality public spaces and amenities within the Civic Precinct. This plan strengthens the area’s identity as Newcastle’s arts and cultural hub while supporting the broader renewal of the city centre.

The PDP will ensure the heritage and character of the precinct are preserved while creating a welcoming and dynamic public space for arts, culture, and innovation to thrive. By promoting safety, accessibility, and enhanced public amenities, the plan will shape a city where people love to live, work, and visit.

We will be:

  • reinforcing the Civic Precinct as Newcastle’s arts and cultural hub
  • creating more opportunities for public art, events and activations
  • improving connectivity and active transport across the precinct
  • increasing greenery and landscaping to create inviting, cooler spaces.

Our PDP aligns with the Cultural Precinct Masterplan, ensuring a cohesive and sustainable approach to urban renewal. It provides guidance for the City of Newcastle, developers, and other stakeholders carrying out public domain works within the Civic Precinct.

Our plan will cover:

  • King Street (between Union Street and Darby Street)
  • Darby Street (between Laman Street and Hunter Street)
  • Auckland Street, Workshop Way, Merewether Street, and Hunter Street.

We will also enhance our major public spaces such as Civic Park, Wheeler Place, and Christie Park, further cementing Newcastle’s identity as a vibrant and welcoming city.

Explore the rendered imagery

Rendered concept image of the Memorial Grove in Civic Park.
Rendered concept image of the Darby Street entry into Civic Park.
Rendered concept image of the Civic Park amenities block.
Rendered concept image of the Wall Memorial Tree Avenue.
Rendered concept image of King Street.
Rendered concept image of Wheeler Place at night time.
Rendered concept image of Wheeler Place in the daytime.
Rendered concept image of Wheeler Place in the daytime.
Rendered concept image of Wheeler Place at night time.
Rendered concept image of Christie Park.

Explore the plan

Take a virtual tour of the draft Plan by viewing the overall plan below and clicking on the:

  • purple icons to see the existing and proposed street layout
  • blue icons to see the concept images for the Civic precinct.

Pro-tip: Click the arrows to view the virtual tour on a full screen.

You can view the full Plan via the document library on this page.

Let’s reimagine the cultural core of Newcastle – together

Join our walkshop events

Be part of the conversation! Join us for our walkshop Events, where we’ll explore the Civic Precinct and discuss the exciting plans for its future. Registrations are essential - secure your spot today!

Have your say

We value your input! Share your feedback on the draft Civic Public Domain Plan before 20 May 2025 by:

  • viewing the information available on this page
  • providing your feedback via the form available below.

Collaboration is key to creating a vibrant and inclusive Civic Precinct. By working together, we can shape a public domain that reflects Newcastle’s rich heritage, supports its growth, and enhances the quality of life for everyone.

This is your cultural backyard – be part of its future.

Feedback form

Registration form