A high-tech university campus in the heart of Gosford is a step closer, with the University of Newcastle appointing Hansen Yuncken as the main works contractor.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said the tender process was highly competitive and the University was pleased to be working with a company that aligned with its strategic values and had a track record in delivering contemporary and dynamic higher-education facilities.
“We have a firm vision for our campuses, to meet the needs of our students, staff and community for the future, and providing a space that is vibrant, safe, and accessible to engage and collaborate,” Zelinsky said.
“Our new Central Coast campus will be a state-of-the-art education and training facility that will help close skills gaps, increase educational participation rates, and generate new jobs for people living on the Central Coast.
“We are eager to have activity ramp-up in this space, with construction in Mann St scheduled toward the end of 2023.”
Zelinsky said the project team would now finalise pre-construction planning, to support the project’s construction and ensure the new campus met the needs of students and the community.
“The landscape has changed since we began planning our new campus and we are committed to delivering the campus our community needs and wants, in line with final designs,” he said.
“We’re incredibly pleased to be on track to welcome our first students in 2025.
“The new campus in Gosford CBD will allow us to introduce new offerings and align our programs to industry and community needs, giving students more opportunities to complete their university studies on a local campus without leaving the region.
“We are proud to have been on the Central Coast for more than 30 years at our Ourimbah Campus, educating more than 40,000 students during that time.
“We are committed to the Central Coast, and this new campus will be pivotal in transforming Gosford into a thriving city and create more opportunities for our young people to aspire to and achieve.”
Federal Member for Robertson Gordon Reid said the new Central Coast Campus would play an important role in the region’s growth.
“The Australian Government is committed to improving access to tertiary education for people living on the Central Coast,” he said.
“Our investment of $18M towards the new University of Newcastle’s Central Coast Campus will ensure future generations can learn and study closer to home.
“The Central Coast Campus will be state-of-the-art, offer new study opportunities, and help address the skills shortage.
“I welcome the news of the appointment of Hansen Yuncken as the main works contractor and look forward to construction commencing later this year.”
State Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said with the opening of the campus a step closer, Gosford was set to become a hub of innovation and world-class education, improving access to tertiary education across the Central Coast.
“This campus provides investment right in the heart of Gosford, creating fantastic local education opportunities for Central Coast students,” she said.
“I am eagerly anticipating these exciting works commencing.”
The new $63.8M three-storey campus is close to Gosford Railway Station and bus terminal.
It will include a small retail area, café and accessible open space for students and the wider community.
The campus will be built on the former Mitre 10 building site at 305 Mann St on land provided by NSW Government’s Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation.
Funding support includes University of Newcastle ($27.8M) and the Australian Government and NSW Governments, ($18M each).
For more information on the project, visit https://www.newcastle.edu.au/engage/development-projects/central-coast-campus
Hopefully with all the residential and educational developments there will inevitably be we must surely see an arts centre and cinema. People will need somewhere cultural to go to instead of merely pubs and cafes. OK the new library is a start but Gosford is currently a city without a cinema, how bizarre is that.