42 Honeysuckle Drive

Precinct-scale integration redefining Newcastle’s waterfront

42 Honeysuckle Drive delivers a new benchmark for mixed-use development in Newcastle, combining a Little National Hotel and a commercial office building.

Adjacent to the Hunter River foreshore and Newcastle’s rail and light rail interchange, the project supports the city’s urban renewal objectives, creating a vibrant interface between the waterfront, public domain and emerging commercial precinct. Conceived as a cohesive composition, the hotel and office buildings activate streets, podiums, terraces and open spaces while respecting context and scale.

The design responds directly to its site. The nine-storey hotel occupies the prominent north-west corner fronting Cottage Creek, while eight levels of commercial office space address Honeysuckle Drive. Massing reinforces corner prominence, respects neighbouring street wall heights and provides visual separation between volumes. The precinct is expressed as four distinct forms – hotel, podium, commercial tower and carpark – each with tailored façade treatments articulating programmatic differences.

The commercial building employs cross-laminated timber floors and Glulam beams and columns. At ground, a café activates Honeysuckle Drive with north-facing outdoor dining. Above, side-core floorplates enable open, flexible layouts with daylight and views to Newcastle CBD.

The Little National Hotel engages Cottage Creek and the adjacent park. Inside, 179 guest rooms occupy six levels, each featuring a wooden-framed super king bed within a full-height picture window. Amenity spaces include a lounge, bar and library, designed by Luchetti Krelle to provide an elegant, welcoming environment.

Façades celebrate programmatic differences while maintaining a consistent palette. The precinct is fully electrified and incorporates on-site solar PV and high-performance passive design. The CLT/GLT structure significantly reduces embodied carbon, positioning 42 Honeysuckle Drive as a leading example of low-impact urban development in Newcastle.