The City of Newcastle has begun early-construction works in preparation for its $40 million Newcastle Art Gallery expansion.
Resting atop an abandoned coal mine, the works will begin remediation with a specialist drill rig to remove and treat any contaminants.
The remediation is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023 subject to weather and will target the 6.5m thick Borehole Coal Seam, which sits around 75m below ground level, and the 1m thick Dudley Coal Seam located around 27m below ground.
More than a hundred bores will be drilled throughout the site to allow approximately 15,000 cubic metres of grout to be deployed into the seams as part of the expansion project’s Grouting and Verification Plan approved by Subsidence Advisory New South Wales.
City of Newcastle has successfully applied for funding through the New South Wales Government’s Newcastle Mines Grouting Fund, which will contribute to the cost of the remediation.
Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, said the remediation was a crucial step to ensure the safety of the site ahead of the main expansion works, which are expected to begin in mid-2023.
“Newcastle’s long coal mining heritage means that much of the city centre sits on top of a number of historical underground mine workings, which date back as far as the early 1800s,” Mayor Nelmes said.
“Remediating these coal seams in the early stages of this project will ensure the long-term stability and protection of the expanded Art Gallery and its nationally significant $126 million collection, which has been relocated into secure off-site storage for the duration of the work.”
Newcastle Art Gallery’s $40 million expansion project will deliver an additional 1,600㎡ of exhibition space with dedicated areas for the Gallery’s significant collection on the lower level, while the upper level will cater for a variety of temporary exhibitions, showcasing local, national and international artists.
The project includes a new café and retail shop, multi-purpose and educational program space, a secure international standard loading dock, and will extend the building’s footprint east along Darby Street and Queen Street.
Shortlisted applicants from the expression of interest process will be invited to tender for the main construction works later this year.
“We have been waiting more than 16 years to see this expansion come to fruition, so it is exciting to see this significant step being taken, paving the way for the main construction work to begin next year,” Mayor Nelmes said.
“By doubling the size of the Gallery, significantly increasing the exhibition space and delivering a suite of modern facilities, this project will deliver an expanded and upgraded Gallery of international standing that will offer a valuable cultural tourism opportunity for Newcastle and the Hunter.”
