• Location: Waverton, Sydney
  • Client: North Sydney Council
  • Value: $15M

The Platform is the last stage, Stage 4, of the Coal Loader Precinct development and completes what has become the Centre of Sustainability for North Sydney Council. The Platform development was an exercise in retention, reuse, recycling and repurposing.

Concrete from the perimeter upstand wall was crushed and recycled to be used as aggregate for the new concrete (the original concrete had Thames River pebbles as its aggregate salvaged from ship ballast)

Concrete cut-out from the chamber wall was reused for outdoor seating and landscaping,

The original industrial site was repurposed to a green roof open space above and an exhibition space with adjoining chambers below off Tunnel 1.

The Platform was built whilst allowing access to other public amenities in the precinct, including Tunnel 2 crossing to Balls Head and access to the Cape Don for shipping restorations. Particularly unique was the habitant micro-bats that reside in Tunnel 1 that required restrictions of noise and disturbance to the contractor at breeding time. Another site-specific habitant were the resident chickens where the new lift structure was built bridging over to retain their pen.

Refurbishment of the heritage listed Award Winning Coal Loader Waverton into a Centre of Sustainability and public open space for North Sydney Council cost $15Mill Construction. It included:

  • 10,000m2 concrete platform at Waverton facing west up Parramatta River converted to a green roof and Public Open Space. The fourth and last stage of this industrial site being handed back to public use.
  • The biggest public green roof in Australia.
  • Commissioned to develop design development details and prepare tender package with particular attention to the heritage fabric of the site.
  • Careful integration of stormwater recycling system, solar power collected from the panelled roof of the colonnade and sun tracking solar towers, new external lift and lookout structures.

The Coal Loader Platform was awarded ‘The Cultural Heritage Award of Excellence’ by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.