A wrecking ball is headed for the western Queens Wharf building next month, signalling the start of a new chapter for one of Newcastle's prized waterfront precincts.
The harbourside eyesore has been living on borrowed time, with demolition previously expected to start in February.
Keolis Downer ferry staff will move across the harbour to a Stockton site office early next month, and with the final tenants packed up, demolition work can begin.
Newcastle independent lord mayor Gavin Morris said the potential of the site is exciting.
"Queens Wharf has been much-loved by Novocastrians and visitors to our city for decades, and it's time to continue that legacy for the next generation," Cr Morris said.
"This redevelopment is a unique opportunity for all of us. We need to make sure that what comes next is fitting for its stunning location, is a drawcard for visitors to this city, and is something we can all be proud of."
Queens Wharf was built as a bicentennial project and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988.
It includes two separate buildings, the western building which has been vacant since a fire in May 2020, and the Queens Wharf Hotel, along with two car parks, a promenade and the Transport for NSW-owned ferry wharf.
Only the western building is being demolished.
City of Newcastle councillors are expected to make a decision on what will be built on the site in the 2026/27 financial year.
The community broadly supported revitalising the precinct, with almost 1800 comments and suggestions put forward during recent community engagement.
Whether it was a "Newcastle Eye" ferris wheel, a Brisbane-style eat street, a cruise terminal or an outdoor cinema, big ideas were bandied about.
Pending weather and site conditions, the demolition is expected to take about six months.
The start of demolition follows weeks of substructural preparations, including establishing a floating pontoon to isolate and relocate utilities connected to the site.
Works will start inside and around the western building, with internal materials and equipment removed along with balconies and awnings on the north and south sides.
After that, work will start on the main building structure and move from west to east, top to bottom, with two excavators working in tandem to take the structure down to the ground floor slab.
City of Newcastle Infrastructure interim executive director Robert Dudgeon said the work marks one of the biggest changes to the foreshore in years.
"We want the harbour foreshore to stay accessible and safe throughout this work, and we're working closely with our contractors to keep disruption in the area to a minimum," Mr Dudgeon said.
Wharf Road will remain open to vehicles, while the western car park will be fenced off for the duration of the work, with detours in place for walkers and cyclists.
Alternative access routes to the ferry wharf may be in place as needed throughout the project, but no disruptions are anticipated to the Stockton ferry service.
