Cruise Terminal Funding Loss A Setback For The Region: Hunter Business Chamber

BY JARROD MELMETH

The New South Wales Government has made good on its pre-election threat by pulling $12.7 million funding from the Newcastle Cruise Terminal project.

The funding for the Port was announced in 2016 by former Premier Mike Baird, but last year the port revealed the project had suffered cost blow outs and the new building would not be able to serve as a home port for ships as a result.

Since revealing the cost blow outs, the NSW Government have refused to provide more money for the project.

"Port of Newcastle has been working on this project on behalf of the NSW Government on the basis of providing a facility that meets the cruise industry's needs while remaining within the funding provided.

"While disappointed construction of the terminal facility cannot proceed at this time, we respect that funding is no longer available," a statement form the Port of Newcastle said.

In a statement to 2NUR-FM, an Infrastructure NSW spokesperson said "the $12.7 million in Restart NSW funding remains available to Port of Newcastle should the project be delivered as per the original scope agreed in the funding deed."

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes has described the move as a significant setback for the region.

"The loss of funding is very disappointing, particularly for those tourism operators whoa re investing in facilities and services to improve our visitor economy.

"We are currently receiving around 28,000 passenger visits per year from cruise ships and many of those are overseas visitors.

"It is clear that the existing facilities are inadequate for a growing market and do not help create a good first impression for our visitors," Mr Hawes said.

The Port of Newcastle is acknowledged as an emerging tourism gateway in the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan, which Mr Hawes says it should be treated as such.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp is accusing the government of short changing the project causing it to stall.

"We've known that Newcastle would need more than the poultry $12.7 million provided, when Eden, in the Minister for Transport's electorate is about to cut the ribbon on a $44 million cruise ship terminal," Mr Crakanthorp said.

What could have been. The designs for the new terminal released in 2017.

The current cruise terminal. Photo: The Newcastle Herald.

Proposed Policy Changes For The Port Of Newcastle

BY JARROD MELMETH

The NSW Government have proposed changes to the Environmental Planning Policy at three Ports across the state.

Planning Minister Anthony Roberts announced yesterday policy changes for NSW's three largest seaports, Newcastle, Botany and Kembla, to streamline their operations.

Mr Roberts said the amendments give the port operators and their tenants the ability to undertake essential, day-to-day development on land within the lease areas more efficiently, subject to compliance with standards.

"Essential maintenance, installation of pollution control measures and other requirements of a working port will be able to be built under the exempt and complying development pathways.

"In addition, we are also protecting our ports from incompatible land-use encroaching on their sites and making it harder to go about their business," Mr Roberts said.

A container terminal at the Port of Newcastle has been a point of contention after it was revealed earlier this year the NSW Government had entered into an agreement meaning that if Newcastle was to build a container terminal, it would have to compensate Port Botany for any containers it handled above a limit of 30,000 a year.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said the proposed changes would ensure Port land is protected for potential future expansion but does not set out provision for the possibility of a container port.

"It will protect the future of the Port of Newcastle. It is the primary bulk commodity port. It is already allowed to move a certain amount of containers as part of the agreement. In the future it means that those uses can continue," Mr MacDonald said.

The Department of Planning is calling on anyone interested in the amendments to review and comment on the proposed changes.

The Port of Newcastle. Image: NSW Mining.

Newcastle council reveals potential locations for Maritime Museum relocation

BY JARROD MELMETH

Newcastle council have revealed potential new locations for the Maritime Museum's collection following a decision to close its doors by the Museum society on Wednesday.

Council's CEO Jeremy Bath said council is currently in discussions with the board of the maritime museum about inheriting the collection.

"Hunter Development Corporation, who is the landlord for the museum and Newcastle City Council are going to be working together to try and identify ways that we can actually ensure the collection is exhibited, and that it is exhibited in a multitude of ways.

"One obvious way, of course, is for the Newcastle Museum to have a permanent exhibition, but there are other ways that we can make sure that the museums' collection is available for people to touch and feel and really learn from.

"That might be through the Port authority; through the new cruise terminal; it might be through outdoor exhibitions down at Honeysuckle.

"There is a lot of different ways that we can make sure that this collection is still available for the people to really come and learn from," Mr Bath said.

Newcastle Maritime Museum. Photo: MGNSW.

Long Awaited Concept Designs for the Newcastle Cruise Terminal Unveiled

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Cruise ship passengers will soon get a first class welcome when they arrive in Newcastle.

The long-awaited concept designs for the Newcastle Cruise Terminal were released this morning.

The $12.7 million terminal will be built at the Channel Berth where passengers will be able to see harbour views and more easily move around, while the position in the harbour will allow for bigger cruise ships to visit Newcastle more often.

The design is influenced by Newcastle's working harbour. Image supplied.

Port of Newcastle's CEO Geoff Crowe said construction will be undertaken throughout next year and be finished by the end of 2018.

"The tenders for the lead construction firm open today and a principal contractor will be appointed early in the new year. So we are pushing pretty hard to make sure we meet that deadline and to also ensure we deliver the cruise terminal by the end of next year," said Geoff.

It's estimated that already cruise shipping in Newcastle injects around $11 million per annum into the local economy. Once finished, its expected the number will jump to around $26.7 million.

"As Novocastrians, we are proud of the contribution the port makes to the region's economy and this project will provide a welcome boost to businesses throughout the Hunter," said Geoff.

Image supplied.

The purpose-built facility will stretch over 3,000m2 and include facilities for passenger drop-off and pick up, coach parking and vessel provisioning.

It will give passengers a more professional experience as well. Geoff said it will be good-bye to the white marquee which goes up whenever a cruise ship pulls into the Port.

"I think most people are getting a bit tired of the white marquee go up and down. It's done a very good job for a number of years but the cruise terminal will replace the white marquee and it will give us a permanent, professional visiting experience for our passengers visiting the Port."

Image supplied.

Three decades of sell-offs in the Hunter

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

It's been revealed the Hunter has chipped in billions of dollars to state coffers for almost three decades to state coffers.

The region has contributed more than $20 billion which includes big-ticket assets such as the Port of Newcastle for $1.75 billion topping the list, and the Bayswater and Liddel power stations for about $1.5 billion.

The sell-off started in 1990 with the sale of Kooragang Coal Loader for $20 million.

Since the Coalition government came into power in 2011, about $50 billion worth of public assets have been privatised.

Port of Newcastle Image abc.net.au

Rough Seas Force Cruise Ship Departure Delay From Newcastle

BY IAN CROUCH

Rough seas and a medical emergency has forced a cruise ship to delay its departure from Newcastle Port.

The Radiance Of The Seas was supposed to depart yesterday afternoon, but had to stay put due to 8 metre swells.

Meanwhile, an elderly patient had to be rushed to the John Hunter Hospital after suffering a suspected heart attack.

The cruise ship set sail at about 6.00am today bound for Airlie Beach in Queensland.

Radiance Of The Seas Docked In Newcastle

Calls to phase out coal loader in Carrington

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Tighes Hill Community Group have written to the Port of Newcastle asking for Port Waratah Coal Services' (PWCS) Carrington Coal loader not to extend it's lease after 2024.

The loader has a licensed capacity of 25 million tonnes of coal per annum, and the group say it is an inappropriate location for such a high impact industry.

The PWCS recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the loader, committing to a $60 million upgrade of the Carrington loader, much to the disappointment of the community group.

Tighes Hill Community Group Secretary Charlotte McCabe says the proximity of the loader to homes and families as well as the impact on their health is very unsafe.

"For many many years we have been raising concerns around the coal dust and the impacts we feel that's having on the health of people - particularly the children and the elderly living in the area - and obviously we've got concerns about climate change and we think this is an industry that needs to begin transitioning, and the end of this lease is the perfect time for that to happen."

The group say the anniversary is an excellent opportunity for port to show its commitment to a better, cleaner future for Newcastle, rather than an upgrade to the loader.

Permanent Cruise Ship Terminal Announced For Newcastle

BY IAN CROUCH

 After years of lobbying, the Port Of Newcastle will finally get it's own cruise ship terminal.

Premier Mike Baird has announced $12.7 million dollar will be spent on building a multi-purpose cruise ship terminal at the Channel Birth at Carrington, the site of the current temporary terminal.

A further $800,000 in joint state and federal funding will be used to build new mooring ballards.

Work on the 3000 square metre terminal is due to start in mid 2017 and will be completed the following year.

The Hunter economy currently receives around $11 million dollars from the state's $2.3 billion cruise ship industry, with more than 17,000 passengers expected to visit during the 2015/16 cruise season.

Construction of the terminal building and flow on effects are expected to inject around $26.7 million into the Hunter's economy and create an additional 76 jobs.

The Cruise Ship Terminal Concept

 

Premier Mike Baird Announces Newcastle Cruise Terminal Photo: Ian Crouch