Wann and Gadi Countries of the Eora Nation
NSW
The White Bay Power Station, constructed in 1912-17, initially powered the City’s tram and rail network before undergoing upgrades to supply power to domestic consumers in the 1950s. Employing over 600 locals at its peak, it was decommissioned in 1983 and has remained dormant since.
In 2021, it was the focus of the Bays West Stage 1 Masterplan, part of a 77-hectare urban renewal precinct encompassing housing, commercial, and transport infrastructure. A catalyst for renewal, the project included stabilising and remediating the buildings, protecting its rare machinery, and upgrading it for safe and compliant public access.
Today, White Bay Power Station has been transformed into a dynamic cultural and community hub that accommodates cultural, artistic, and commercial activities. It remains a widely recognised harbourside landmark and a potent symbol of the area’s industrial and working-class identity. The building will play a key role in the urban renewal of Bays West.
The vision for White Bay Power Station is to create a vibrant centre for the future Bays West precinct, drawing visitors from across Sydney and beyond.
At every stage, Placemaking NSW, architects, builders, and engineers collaborated closely to address daily issues and safeguard and promote the place’s State Significant industrial heritage.
White Bay Power Station is a dynamic cultural and community hub that has hosted a range of cultural, artistic, and commercial activities. It is set to play a crucial role in shaping the future of The Bays while honouring its industrial and maritime past.
Robert Gasparini, Project Architect
Alan Croker, Principal Director
Calista Novia, Graduate of Architecture
Andrea Butturini, Graduate of Architecture
CBRE, Project Manager
Mott MacDonald, Structural and Civil Engineer
Norman Disney Young, Services Consultant
Turf Design Studio, Landscape Consultant
Placemaking NSW, Planning and Heritage Direction
Rider Levett Bucknall, Quantity Surveyor
Trevor R Howse, Access Consultant and Certifier
JBS&G, HAZMAT
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
