Newcastle's iconic Macquarie Pier has received the final touches to its multi-staged facelift with a heritage walk for locals and visitors commemorating the city's rich maritime history.
Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott is spending the day in the habour city visiting one of the world's largest coat export ports, as well as volunteers and veterans at Fort Scratchley.
"Novocastrians should be proud of their city's rich history and this $1.85 million project is just another way we can pass the tales of the past onto another generation," Mr Elliott said.
"From kids to history buffs, tourists to locals, this walkway with new signage and an interactive audio tour captures the importance of the harbour and maritime industries."
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin MLC congratulated the Port Authority of NSW for this creative initiative.
"Stage 2 of the Macquarie Pier Revitalisation Project provides the finishing touch on an iconic walk visited by hundreds of people daily," Mr Martin said.
Port Authority CEO Philip Holliday said this project is about giving back to the people who live, work and enjoy the areas we operate around the Harbour.
"It's been terrific to collaborate in developing this immersive audio tour and informative signs packed with historical facts and photos – we hope others love it as much as we do," Mr Holliday said.
Local historians and archivists from Hunter Living Histories were consulted in the making of the audio tour and signage which explore everything from volcanic activity 300 million years ago that created Nobby's Headland to the period when Newcastle was shelled in war time.
The interpretive signage and audio guide completes Port Authority's overall revitalisation of Macquarie Pier.
In the first stage, the walkway was reconstructed with features such as a widened waterside footpath, a space for gathering and relaxing, sandstone seating and maritime-style fencing.
The Macquarie Pier Revitalisation Project is jointly funded by the NSW Government in association with Port Authority of NSW, and has been generously supported with contributions from Port of Newcastle.
The NSW Government's Newcastle Port Community Contribution (NPCC) Fund supports community projects around the Port of Newcastle.
