Newcastle Showground

This project involved the transformation and restoration of a tired run down old facility into a venue that now promotes our region, enticing a wide range of international events. This showground is now providing community benefit via regular events ranging from Farmers Markets to Monster Truck Shows and Speedway Racing. The flagship event for the facility continues to be the Newcastle Regional Show which provides the people of our region with the opportunity to showcase their product, their talent, their skills and their creativity in an improved, safe, comfortable, family friendly environment. Works included the demolition of unsafe buildings and refurbishment of no less than 12 separate buildings across the entire site.

 This project was funded by a grant which was administered by the Department of Sport & Recreation and as a result funding was limited to a finite amount. The finite budget necessitated a high degree of  co-operation between client, architect, builder and subcontractors. Works had to be prioritised, with the initial concern of creating a safe facility that had been allowed to become run down and was also heavily flood affected in the storms of June 2008. RTC were able to provide valuable input in regard to ways of achieving the maximum result in the most cost effective way. The entire Newcastle Showground site is heritage listed and this therefore guided selection of materials, colour schemes and in some cases the scope of works. Rather than viewing the heritage significance as a hindrance it was viewed as an opportunity to restore such icons as the public grandstand originally built in 1906 to its former glory. This successful collaboration of all involved parties has resulted in a high degree of client satisfaction and ultimately a vastly improved community facility.