Civic Improvement Plan - Wollongong City Council - NSW Government

3. Special city centre projects3.7 HERITAGE PORTREDEVELOPMENTThe purpose of this project is to facilitateredevelopment of the old port area (BelmoreBasin) to create a major social and civic hubfor Wollongong City in a way which takes fulladvantage of the harbour’s natural and culturalcontext. The port land is owned and managedby the NSW Department of Land. This projectwill require co-operation between StateGovernment and Wollongong City Council.The Wollongong harbour was originallyconstructed using convict labour in the mid19thCentury. It remains an important heritage sitewhere many convict built structures still servethe port functions. The port has played animportant role in the history of Wollongong Cityfirst as the coal and timber was dispatched forthe Illawarra area and then as a commercialfishing port. The deregulation of the fishingindustry has resulted in a smaller number offishing vessels and less fishing activity.The harbour precinct is relatively small butis surrounded by extensive public landsthat provide excellent passive recreationopportunities and the best views to the northand the Wollongong foreshore. Tourism andpassive recreation is now a major activity forthe surplus port area.The challenge of this project will be topreserve essential harbour activities: moorings,unloading facilities, slipway and hardstand areawhile opening up the precinct to wider rangeof uses.The existing co-op building was constructedin the 1980’s with the intended lifespan of15 years. The condition of the building iswaning and the significant part of the siteis ready for redevelopment.Project objectives to achieve a developmentas represented by Figure 3.7 are to:• Encourage more people to visit the harbour.– refocusing Wollongong Heritage Portarea as a major tourist destination andas a key recreation area with outdooreating for Wollongong residents,workers and visitors;– the new destination will be built onthe iconic status the area enjoys; and,– encourage diverse activities, suchas markets, festivals, concerts andcommunity gatherings• Provide an economic basis for the harbour’songoing function.– explore commercial uses, such as cafes,restaurants, fish shop, communitymeeting room, maritime retail (surf,fishing, boating), and charter boatoffice etc.• Preserve fishing port elements and function.– consolidate fishing port activities tothe north side of the Belmore Basin.• Retain and reinforce heritage value ofthe port.– promote heritage of the area as a touristattraction, including interprative signsand displays.• Make best use of the area’s natural features.– site’s topography allows public spaceand promenade on two levels withexcellent views of the port and the sea;and– built elements should take advantageof water frontage and optimise viewsand pedestrian access to the water.• Improve the harbour’s relationship withthe city and it’s context.The Heritage Port Redevelopment is estimatedto cost $13 million.34 WOLLONGONG CITY CENTRE CIP 2007