NEWCASTLE MALL: Wolfe Street reopens as East End Village upgrade moves towards next phase

31 March 2026

newy.com.au – A key section of Wolfe Street has reopened as City of Newcastle puts the finishing touches on the latest phase of the East End Village revitalisation project.

The multimillion-dollar upgrade covers the section of Hunter Street between Thorn and Wolfe streets, and Wolfe Street between King and Scott streets. New footpaths, road surfaces and the latest stretch of a separated cycleway have been added, while stormwater and underground infrastructure upgrades have been completed to improve services for residents and businesses in the former Hunter Street Mall precinct.

City of Newcastle chief executive officer Jeremy Bath said the council’s vision for a more liveable and vibrant city centre was starting to take shape. “Our East End Village project is reinstating the former Hunter Street Mall as a traditional high street, making it a better place to live for the growing number of residents that are calling the area home,” Mr Bath said.

“We are ensuring our city centre is more people-focused, making it easier to navigate and a much nicer place to spend time, which provides a boost to local businesses and our economy.”

Since construction began on the East End Village project in 2021, City of Newcastle has invested more than $16 million across three phases in the revitalisation of the former Hunter Street Mall. The work completed so far includes streetscape upgrades to Hunter Street from Brown to Wolfe streets, as well as the block bounded by Hunter, Wolfe, King and Perkins streets.

City of Newcastle Interim Executive Director City Infrastructure Robert Dudgeon thanked residents and businesses for their support during construction. “We’ve worked closely with local businesses and stakeholders to maintain access and continuity of trade, while delivering upgrades that will support the area into the future,” Mr Dudgeon said.

“I’m particularly pleased with how we’re making our city centre an attractive place for everyone to spend time by improving accessibility and landscaping in the area, and that will continue through future stages of the project.”

Final line-marking works on the latest section of separated cycleway, along with paver installations and clean-up of the area, are due to be completed in April. The focus will then shift to the next phase of the project, with upgrades planned for Hunter Street, Market Street and Newcomen Street.

City of Newcastle is assessing tenders for that section of the project, which is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program. The next stage is planned to begin once the funding arrangements are finalised.