Long term lease for Newcastle

Mr Baird said the State Government welcomed the opportunity to bring in a long-term partner for the port, in a move aimed at funding the revitalisation of central Newcastle and priority infrastructure across the State.

“As with previous Government asset sales and leases, bidders will need to strongly demonstrate their experience, expertise and capability to be the long-term steward of the Port and develop it over time,” he said.

“The Port of Newcastle has huge development and growth potential, including extensive strategic port-side land available for the future growth of general cargo, dry bulk and bulk liquids.”

Mr Baird said the Government would retain regulatory oversight of the port as well as responsibility for a range of important maritime safety and security functions.
Understood to entail over 700 hectares of land as well as rail, road and wharf infrastructure, the Port of Newcastle shipped 148.9m tonnes of cargo in the last financial year – 95.8% of which was coal.