East End
The long-term vision for the East End Village is to reinstate Hunter Street as a traditional high street and an attractive destination for locals and visitors, with outdoor dining and boutique retail opportunities.
Current phase
Phase 3 of the East End village revitalisation project got underway in June 2024, and is improving the streetscape on Hunter Street between Thorn and Wolfe Streets, and on Wolfe Street between Scott and King Streets.
Daracon were awarded the tender to start works on the next multi-million dollar stage of the East End Village revitalisation project in June 2025.
Phase 3: Looking west along Hunter Street, towards Wolfe Street.
These works will improve the streetscape on Hunter Street between Thorn and Wolfe Streets, and on Wolfe Street between King and Scott Streets.
This section of work will replicate what we have already delivered in front of the QT building between Perkins and Wolfe streets including new multi-function street lighting, upgraded street furniture, and fresh landscaping that will transform the look and feel of the area with a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees to enhance the character and biodiversity of the street.
There will be some temporary traffic changes while we deliver these upgrades. Traffic control will be onsite to assist pedestrians and vehicles moving through the area.
Upcoming and future phases
Phase 4 will continue streetscape improvements along Hunter Street, covering the section from Thorn to Newcomen Streets. This phase also include Newcomen Street, from Hunter to Scott Streets, and Market Street between Hunter and Keightley Street.
This phase of work is funded by the Australian Government's regional Partnerships and Precincts Program, from which City of Newcastle was awarded $16.7 million in funding. City of Newcastle issued a call for tender for much of these Phase 4 works in early November.
This next phase of the project includes the continuation of public domain upgrades on Hunter Street, from Thorn to Newcomen Street.
It includes new footpaths, roadways, fresh landscaping, important underground infrastructure upgrades, and the continuation of the new Hunter Street cycleway.
These works will mirror those already complete or underway at the western end of Hunter Street, and will fit in seamlessly to help with our revitalisation of the East End Village.
Market Street, between Hunter Street and Keightley Street, will be transformed into a public gathering space.
A piece of public art that acknowledges and celebrates Newcastle's rich Indigenous history will be the centrepiece of this project.
Placed importantly in the middle of the Harbour to Cathedral view corridor, this project will also improve that connection and facilitate future works in the area.
The vision is for Newcomen Street to look and feel the same as the streetscape that has already been delivered around the QT Newcastle building and is coming to the remainder of the East End Village.
Improvements coming to Newcomen Street include new footpaths and raised, shared path crossings, road surfaces, street trees and landscaping, improved underground infrastructure, and a new cycleway on the street’s eastern side.
This new cycleway will be a key connector in Newcastle’s cycleway network, providing a key link between the harbour shared pathway and the new Hunter Street bidirectional cycleway, coming as part of the East End Village project.
Improving Newcastle’s active transport network makes our roads safer for everyone, gives people the option to ride a bike to get where they need to go, reduces the risks related to cyclists riding alongside car traffic, and means fewer people are taking up car parks throughout the city.
Completed phases
The East End Public Domain Plan - Phases 1 and 2 were based on the East End Streetscape Plan, adopted in 2018 covering Hunter Street Mall and adjoining streets, with an additional upgrade for streets around the Mall approved by the elected Council in May 2020.
Phase one of the East End Village revitalisation project was completed in 2022. We invested $5 million in this first stage, which targeted the block bound by Hunter Street, Wolfe Street, King Street and Perkins Street. The upgrade delivered new paving, landscaping and public amenity improvements in and around Hunter Street Mall.
The main works for phase 2 works at Brown Street were completed in February 2025.
This section of work is valued at approximately $1.9 million, focused on a section of Hunter Street bound by Perkins and Brown Streets, as a key pedestrian and cyclist entry point to the East End Village.
We've been improving the streetscape with new trees, landscaping and relocating and upgrading underground services.
Project updates
Frequently Asked Questions
