The Newcastle Steelworkers Memorial is set to be reopened to the community following work to secure the Mayfield site for safe public access.
A perimeter fence has been erected to create a 2.12-hectare area, which separates the monument from adjacent industrial land.
Access will be via Selwyn Street from 6am to 6pm, seven days a week.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp welcomed its resurrection.
“I’ve been advocating for the reactivation of this space for years,” he said.
“So, I want to thank Aubrey Brooks, Bob Cook and the Newcastle Industrial Heritage Association (NIHA) for their dedication to seeing the memorial reopened.
“The Muster Point is a spectacular artwork that encapsulates the lives and trade of thousands of Newcastle steelworkers and recognises their contribution to Australian manufacturing.
“Novocastrians have the chance to celebrate our ‘steel city’ and be proud of our industrial heritage again.”
The BHP steelworks was vitally important to the Hunter as one of Australia’s largest employers and a key economic driver.
It earnt Newcastle its steel city nickname, too, helping shape the region’s industrial identity over its 84 years of operation.
Unveiled in 2015 on the 100th anniversary of the BHP steelworks’ opening, the memorial pays tribute to the men and women who worked at the facility from 1915 until its closure in 1999.
“Newcastle and the Hunter have a proud industrial heritage supported by the region’s loyal workers and forged on the back of industries like steelmaking and power generation that have helped drive the NSW and Australian economies,” Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said.
“For too long this marvellous acknowledgement to our steelworkers has been restricted.”
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper agreed.
“This site will be a pleasant area to visit to relax and commemorate the memorial and reflect on the steelworkers who helped shape Newcastle’s famous steel city identity,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to the men and women who worked at the facility, including those who lost their lives on the job.”
The Newcastle Steelworkers Memorial includes the Muster Point, a prominent steel and bronze sculpture which was fabricated on-site by artist Julie Squires and employees before the plant closed.
The 16-metre long, eight-metre high and 12-metre wide walk-through artwork portrays the steelworkers’ experience with features such as a clock, whistle, locomotive driver, men on the gates symbolising friendship, and a cross honouring those who died on the job.
The Newcastle Steelworkers Memorial was originally established by the NIHA.
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