Walsh Bay

Location:

Walsh Bay. Bounded by Hickson Rd, Windmill St, Pottinger St, Dalgetty Pl and includes the wharves & water area.

Owner:

NSW Maritime/Department of Commerce

Developer:

Mirvac/Transfield

Land Area:

8 Hectare including 4 finger wharves

Value:

$700M

Background:

Walsh Bay is one of Australia’s most historic waterfront precincts. Its wharves, shore sheds and bond stores were constructed between 1906 and 1922 under the chief engineer Mr HD Walsh of the Sydney Harbour Trust and formed Sydney’s main commercial port area.
By the 1970s Walsh Bay had become redundant through changes in shipping technology (containerisation).
Wharf 4/5 was subsequently refurbished and leased to the Ministry for the Arts (Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company etc) in the early 1980s as an arts precinct.
Approval was given to the private sector developer, Walsh Bay Properties (a partnership between the Mirvac Group and Transfield Pty Ltd) and work commenced in 1999.

Development:

The project has involved the restoration of many heritage structures such as Piers 2/3 and 8/9, construction of a new 850 seat drama theatre, provision of public access to the foreshore and commercial, retail and residential development.
The Walsh Bay precinct is rightly considered one of Australia’s major urban renewal undertakings.

Importantly, it displays reminders of Sydney’s maritime heritage through the retention of historical items such as a wool bale elevator, the hydraulic lifting system, jib cranes, old timber piles, timbers recycled from Pier 6/7 and used as kerbs/public seating and in the drama theatre, and original bollards which can be seen from the public boardwalk. The site also contains remnants of an even earlier Sydney with the reuse of cobblestone paving in Ferry Lane and the display of substantial remains of an 1820s cottage (corner Pottinger and Windmill Sts) found whilst excavating for the theatre and Bond 4 East site.

The redevelopment of the Bond Store 1 site for commercial offices is the last major stage of the precinct work and is due for completion in 2009.

The redevelopment of Walsh Bay has won over 60 local and international awards.