A one kilometre technology precinct spanning from Central station in Sydney to the neighbouring suburb of Eveleigh will create 10,000 new tech jobs by 2036, according to the NSW government.
The development of the technology and innovation precinct will be led by NSW Government taskforce, which will include members from the University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney and Sydney Business Chamber.
“Sydney and NSW are generating the jobs of the future and this new technology precinct will help turbo-charge our economy,” said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
“This will cement Sydney as the technology capital of Australia and create more secure jobs. Central to Eveleigh is already home to Australia’s largest cluster of start-up firms. We want to use that as a base to grow new jobs and new businesses.”
Also involved in the project will be Atlassian, which was named by the government as a “co-creator” of the space.
In 2015 Atlassian launched a failed proposal to develop the Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh, which was ultimately undone by a $263 million bid from Commonwealth Bank and Mirvac.
The new precinct will allow Atlassian to move from its current Sydney CBD headquarters into a larger space.
Atlassian co-founder and CEO Scott Farquhar said the precinct could help the Australian technology industry compete globally. “If you look at every successful innovation hub in the world, from Silicon Valley to Tel Aviv, they all have a centre of gravity – a place the start-up community calls home,” he said.
“Sydney has the potential to be of one of the world’s leading tech cities and the creation of a tech hub sends a very loud signal – not only to the country, but to the rest of the world – that we’re in the race.”
With the Central to Eveleigh site set to be located between two of NSW’s largest universities, the University of Technology Sydney and University of Sydney, it is hoped the precinct will attract top local talent.
UTS vice-chancellor Professor Attila Brungs said that universities play a key role in the development of such hubs.
“One of the biggest impacts that universities can have in driving innovation is facilitating collaboration and providing opportunities for people to bump into one another,” Brungs said.
“That’s why we really do welcome today’s announcement and the Government’s commitment to establishing a technology and innovation precinct that will bring together tertiary institutions, technology firms, research institutions and government to drive technology and innovation.”
Co-working space Fishburners and industry representative body Tech Sydney will also be involved in the project.
Surprisingly to some, Google is absent from the project, as the search engine giant continues its search for a new Sydney headquarters.