DOMA Group Unveil Newcastle's Future with Transformative Newcastle Quay Precinct
MAXMEDIALAB
Newcastle, Australia – DOMA Group has unveiled its masterplan for Newcastle Quay (Honeysuckle HQ), a landmark waterfront precinct set to redefine Newcastle’s identity and position it as one of Australia’s most compelling urban destinations.
Designed to the standard of Australia’s most celebrated waterfront precincts, Newcastle Quay will become inseparable from the city’s identity – a landmark destination that draws visitors from across the east coast and signals Newcastle’s coming of age as a center for culture, commerce and community.
A prominent site within the Honeysuckle Precinct, the development fronts the Foreshore Promenade and extends across Honeysuckle Drive, within easy reach of Newcastle’s major transport hub.
Newcastle Quay will deliver approximately 1,000 residential apartments alongside over more than 28,000m² of commercial office GFA, 6,000m² of retail, and a 180-room hotel with world-class 500-seat Conference Centre and Exhibition facilities. The project builds on DOMA's long-term investment in Newcastle, which spans more than $1 billion in completed and under-construction residential development, with a further $2 billion in the pipeline. To date, DOMA has delivered 866 apartments alongside more than 19,000m² of commercial and retail space, with the broader pipeline set to introduce more than 1,000 additional apartments and over 38,000m² of future commercial and retail development, reinforcing the group’s long-term commitment to shaping Newcastle’s next chapter.
Designed and masterplanned by SJB, the precinct is anchored by a strong vision for integrated urban living. Underpinning the development’s commitment to public life, the precinct will feature over 11,000m² of activated open space – including a new waterfront public park, Honeysuckle Green, and an enhanced Tree of Knowledge Park – alongside on-site public parking, creating a destination for the whole community to live, work, and gather.
Designed on the principles of sustainability, connection, and community, Newcastle Quay will boast the largest number of buildings within a precinct in the Newcastle Hunter region targeting Green Star certification across both Communities and the Green Star Buildings rating tools.
At its core, the precinct brings together residential, commercial, culture, and community in one connected waterfront environment – a revolutionary position for Newcastle that the city is yet to experience at scale. Designed for an 18-hour day-to-night economy, Newcastle Quay will support with casual to fine dining from morning to night, retail and cultural programming driving ongoing engagement.
Central to the development is the heritage-listed Wickham School of Arts, which will serve as the civic heart of Newcastle Quay through a landscaped forecourt and active ground-floor activation featuring restaurants, bars and community events. Co-locating the hotel with a world-class conference and exhibition centre which will establish a genuine events destination for Newcastle, with ground-level exhibition space complemented by flexible, open-plan conferencing areas on level one, including breakout arrival spaces and dedicated meeting rooms.
The public realm will prioritise accessibility and connection, with generous pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, integrated public art, and seamless links to Newcastle’s cultural and natural landmarks - supported by public car parking for visitors to the Hotel and Conference Centre, ensuring the waterfront remains open, inclusive, and deeply connected to the city.
DOMA Group is one of Australia’s leading private developers, with extensive experience transforming maritime and industrial precincts into world-class urban destinations. Since establishing a presence in Newcastle in 2013, DOMA Group has played a defining role in the city’s urban renewal – delivering 866 residential apartments, 31,556m² of commercial space, 4,407m² of retail, and a 181-room hotel.
Jure Domazet, DOMA Group Managing Director: “Our vision is to create a precinct that not only delivers high-quality commercial, residential, and cultural spaces, but also defines Newcastle’s waterfront for generations to come.”
Chris Farrington, DOMA Group: “This site has always had the potential to be something extraordinary, and Newcastle Quay will bring that vision to life. A new waterfront precinct that seamlessly extends the CBD to the harbour, reshaping how the city is seen, experienced and valued on a national scale.”
"Newcastle Quay is more than a waterfront precinct, it is a national announcement for this city. A world-class Conference and Exhibition Centre will open Newcastle and the Hunter Region to a national and international audience for the first time, delivering something this city has long deserved."
Expecting to generate over 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs, the precinct will act as a major economic driver for Newcastle. The precinct is expected to generate thousands of full-time equivalent jobs, supporting local businesses, attracting new enterprise, and creating a strong, mixed-use economy. A proposed hotel, conference and exhibition centre will further position Newcastle as a competitive national destination for business events and tourism.
Grounded in a Place-Based Approach, Newcastle Quay (Honeysuckle HQ) is being shaped in collaboration with local communities and stakeholders to reflect Newcastle’s identity. DOMA’s commitment to First Nations communities will be embedded through a dedicated cultural centre, public art commissions, and culturally informed placemaking, ensuring the precinct tells the stories of place while creating new ones.
The masterplan and executive architecture are led by SJB, with building concepts developed alongside Stewart Architecture, Architecture AND and Curious Practice, and landscape design by Turf Design Studio. SJB Partner Emily Wombwell described the project “as a rare city-making opportunity shaped by collaboration and a deep understanding of place, noting its personal significance in helping reconnect Newcastle’s waterfront and arrival experience.”
Through a focus on sustainability, active transport, and inclusive design, Newcastle Quay will deliver a resilient, connected, and people-first precinct – a waterfront neighbourhood where people live, connect, and belong, and a defining symbol of Newcastle’s next chapter.
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APPROVED QUOTES:
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“The Minns Labor Government is excited to share that around 1000 new homes will be delivered as part of
Honeysuckle HQ in Newcastle.
“This final parcel of harbourfront land will be a true mixed-use precinct destination that includes housing,
hospitality and entertainment, commercial spaces, retail, economic and social outcomes.
Minister for the Hunter and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said:
“I’m excited by the proposal for this significant harbourside site to bring jobs, growth and economic outcomes to
the city and wider Hunter region.
“I welcome the new hotel and conference centre, something the region absolutely needs to support our tourism
and business tourism appeal as a destination of choice.”
Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:
“Honeysuckle HQ signals a very exciting time for Newcastle. The city will be open for business; from a morning
coffee right through to dinner on the waterfront, followed by a movie, cultural event and live music into the
night. “I’m also very pleased to see the preservation of the heritage-listed Wickham School of Arts as part of a new Arts
Square Hotel and conference centre.”
Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation Chief Executive Valentina Misevska said:
“Today’s milestone announcement marks a significant moment in the Honeysuckle Urban Renewal Project and
reflects what the community told us they wanted to see – a well-connected precinct that prioritises public spaces,
strengthens connections to the waterfront and transport, and creates opportunities for vibrant activation.
“It also delivers on ambitions for high quality design and sustainability, while respecting the area’s heritage and
culture, creating a precinct that offers something for everyone.”
DOMA Group Managing Director Jure Domazet said:
“Honeysuckle HQ will be something truly special for Newcastle and we are proud that our proposal for this
harbourfront precinct will create an iconic landmark destination, a legacy the city truly deserves.”
"We engaged four leading architectural firms to shape each building with a distinct design vision, creating
something unique, interesting and inspired by the enviable setting."
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Nicole Craig, Group Publicity Liaison Director at MAXMEDIALAB
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