Newcastle councillors are calling on the High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) to lock in Broadmeadow as the local station for the “nation building” project.
Following the recent approval of the “development phase” by government body Infrastructure Australia, people now want answers set in stone.
That includes City of Newcastle (CN) representatives.
The High-Speed Rail (HSR) venture is expected to connect Newcastle and Sydney in just an hour via the Central Coast.
A total of $70 million has been approved by the federal government for the development phase, set to take place over two years and confirm at least 40% of the design.
A further $667 million is being sought by the HSRA for the rest of the project.
Under the tabled business case, construction would begin in 2027, with the first stage from Newcastle to the Central Coast aimed to be delivered by 2037.
An extension to Sydney Central will follow, expected to be finished by 2039, and a connection to Western Sydney International Airport by 2042, with the first stage including four stations.
Broadmeadow was put forward as the proposed location of the Newcastle stop.
CN councillors Paige Johnson, Peta Winney-Baartz, Declan Clausen, Elizabeth Adamczyk and Deahnna Richardson put forward a Notice of Motion this month in regard to the project.
It calls on council to write to the HSRA chief executive and federal Minister for Infrastructure, encouraging them to progress the business project to the next phase and lock in Broadmeadow as the local station.
Cr Johnson emphasised the suburb’s “central location, existing heavy rail infrastructure, proximity to the planned sports and entertainment precinct, future projected housing and opportunities for transport connectivity across the city” made it an ideal stop.
It comes in alignment with the Broadmeadow Place Strategy, which plans to see 20,000 homes built in the area by 2040, as well as additional sporting facilities and a light rail connection.
“This is genuinely nation building infrastructure,” said Cr Johnson.
“I often remark… that poor public transport is really holding our city back.
“This is an opportunity to turn the corner and move Newcastle forward.
“It’s important that we collaborate and work with inter-governmental partners to ensure the station becomes the transformative anchor for the region that this motion is asking for.”
The motion was unanimously approved by all other City of Newcastle councillors during the Tuesday 18 November ordinary meeting.
It’s estimated a decision on the Newcastle station will be made within the next two years, as the development phase looks into planning approvals, corridor preservation, refined cost estimates and schedule clarification before progressing to the delivery stage.
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