Novocastrian Sports Group

Say hello. ✦

HUNTER
PARK

concept by Novocastrian Sports Group

While we await news on an official master plan for the Hunter Park precinct, we’ve reviewed several previous plans and proposals to create our consolidated concept, which combines the best existing ideas with a few of our own.

True multi-sport precinct

  • McDonald Jones Stadium 1 — Complete the previously proposed expansion to provide expanded capacity. Upgrade the eastern stand to align with the western stand and add new covered grandstands at the north and south ends. An additional public entrance will open onto the new public plaza from the eastern stand.
  • New Oval Ground 2 — Cricket NSW have proposed a new cricket-centric ground, seating up to 15,000, as part of their latest infrastructure master plan. We would love to see this developed in partnership with Cricket Australia and the AFL — with any additional support likely making the route to funding easier. The new ground would include a centre of excellence, indoor/outdoor nets, training facilities, etc.
  • Existing facilities — Magic Park 14, Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence 15, and the Newcastle International Hockey Centre 16 all remain part of the precinct.

Entertainment and events

  • New Newcastle Entertainment Centre 3 — A large indoor arena capable of hosting international-level sporting, entertainment and cultural events — with a capacity of 7,000 to 11,000 — complex would include additional indoor court(s), training facilities, team offices, etc. A modern arena is a vital component in bringing more professional sports back to Newcastle — including NBL, WNBL, and Super Netball.
  • Convention and conference spaces 4 — These are part of a complex linking the new arena and oval along the northern edge of the precinct, with on-site accommodation.
  • Community Basketball 17 — The future Newcastle Basketball development, with multiple indoor courts, is already planned for on the site of the existing Wallara and Blackley Ovals opposite the precinct.

Community health and wellness

  • New Aquatic and Leisure Centre 5 — indoor pools, gym, and community spaces.
  • Tennis Centre 6 — 16 new tennis courts, two new show courts and clubhouse facilities.
  • Outdoor courts 7 — Basketball courts (full and half), netball courts, pickleball, bat-ball courts, and futsal pitches.
  • Children’s playgrounds — Located near the outdoor courts, plus two within the main central concourse.

Parklands, not Parking Lots

  • Open green spaces — Prioritising the areas around the venues as public green spaces, not vast expanses of asphalt, with Indigenous-inspired landscape design and the extensive use of native flora throughout the precinct.
  • Large central plaza 8 — An open space for community events, farmers markets, public live space events, game-day activations, and night markets. Pockets of hospitality/retail around the plaza to provide food, coffee, merchandise etc.
  • Sustainability — Besides prioritising environmentally sustainable building methods and amterials, utilise available stadium/arena roof areas for solar panels to supply as much energy capacity as possible via renewable sources. Use recycled and rainwater to maintain the precinct grounds.

Residential and Accommodation

  • Residential urban renewal 9 — There will be medium-density residential and mixed-use buildings to the east of the community health and wellness zone.
  • Showground redevelopment 10 — A significant urban renewal project for the current showground site, combining residential, mixed-use buildings and greenspaces around a central oval.
  • Hotels at gateways 11 — northern (with event precinct), west (near MDJ), south (near aquatic and transport links)
  • Future urban growth areas — The precinct links to surrounding urban renewal targets, including the UGL site north of Griffiths Road and the rail yards to the south.

Access and transportation

  • Parking 12 — Public parking is relocated to the ‘corners’ of the precinct in multi-storey pods to free up additional public space. Player/officials’ parking and loading bays are located near each venue — on the north side of the arena and oval and to the south of McDonald Jones Stadium.
  • Improved walking and cycling access 13 — The precinct is already walkable; adding an open walkway across Styx Creek will better link the north and south halves of the precinct and enhance the connection to public transport links along Lambton Road.
  • Encourage public transport — The preferred route for the Light Rail expansion runs along the south edge of the precinct on Lambton Road. Existing transport connections are available via Broadmeadow train station and bus routes along Lambton and Turton Roads.

Keen for more? Read our full living strategic vision for professional sports in Newcastle.

Download our concept plan (PDF, 2,4MB)

Download our concept plan (PDF, 2,4MB)

References