Civic Centre Development

Darwin

In progress

Project type

Buildings & Structures

Civic Centre Development

The existing Civic Centre has served the community well for more than 50 years but is now unserviceable and a new Civic Centre is required to meet the needs of the community and City of Darwin staff.

The new Civic Centre will also transform the surrounding area into a welcoming precinct with a community plaza that will connect the Darwin CBD and Darwin Waterfront.

This significant project will be central to City of Darwin’s approach to economic recovery, jobs and CBD enhancement, providing new offices, modern Council Chambers and significant community spaces.

Once complete, the area will feature a cool, green community plaza connecting the new building with Civic Park, creating a place where people can visit, connect with others and engage in community and business activities and events.

In December 2023, City of Darwin sought Expressions of Interest from prospective partners to deliver the development of a new Civic Centre. City of Darwin engaged an independent probity officer to oversee the procurement process. A proponent was engaged to develop preliminary designs to support an application to the Development Consent Authority, which was subsequently approved.

The new Civic Centre will also transform the surrounding area into a welcoming precinct with a community plaza that will have linkages to the city centre, Darwin Waterfront, and the new State Square. It will be an inviting place for the people of Darwin, where they can visit, connect with others, and engage in community and business activities and events.

The new Civic Centre will feature:

•    Enhanced community facilities including a new library
•    A Customer Service centre
•    Three floors of office for City of Darwin staff
•    A function space accommodating up to 300 people, along with additional meeting rooms available for community booking.
•    Approximately 410 car parking spaces owned by City of Darwin, serving residents, workers, and visitors
•    A vibrant, green community plaza, with space allocated for a café.
The remaining 10 levels will be commercial lease floors managed by DCOH.

While works take place, the City Library and Customer Service centre remain open and can be accessed via the existing Customer Service entry, in front of Civic Park.

Construction is underway and completion is expected in early 2028.

Civic Picture

Civic Centre concept design.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

The Civic Centre development stakeholder updates outline monthly progress and milestones:

Should you wish to receive project notifications from DCOH, please send " I am in " email to civiccentre.info@dcoh.au.

FAQs

Why is the Civic Centre being redeveloped?

The existing Civic Centre has served the community well for more than 50 years but is now not meeting community needs or the requirements for an efficient and functional workspace. A new development is required to deliver upon current standards and expectations for a public building and community space.

Will the Darwin City Library be open during construction?

Yes, the Darwin City Library is operating as normal, and will throughout the three-year construction period. Access to the library is via the existing customer services entry.

Please note that the City Library returns chute is temporarily unavailable, and the new Book Drop can be found at the Cavenagh Street side of the Civic Centre.

Will Customer Services be impacted during the construction period?

No, Customer Services will continue to operate business as usual during the three-year construction period.

Where can I park during the construction period?

Alternative car parking is available at the following locations during the construction period:

West Lane carpark
Dragonfly carpark
State Square carpark
Kitchener Drive multi-level carpark at the Darwin Waterfront
Open air carpark near the cruise ship terminal at the Darwin Waterfront
Nichols Place carpark
McMinn carpark

Will there be any impact to traffic conditions?

Occasionally, traffic along Harry Chan Avenue may be affected by construction activities. Traffic management will be in place and disruptions will be kept to a minimum.

What will be the hours of construction?

DCOH acknowledges that construction is taking place near business and residential areas. To minimise disruption, working hours are limited to the following, in line with the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority noise requirements:

Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm Saturday 7am to 5pm.

Works outside these hours will occur only with prior notification to the community and/or when equipment servicing is required.

What are the timeframes for delivery of the building?

The development application was submitted on 25 November 2024.
Construction of the building is expected at the start of 2028.
Construction commenced in April 2025.
The development application was approved in April 2025.

What will happen to the trees in the car park?

DCOH plan to:

retain some of the trees in the car park;
relocate the boab trees; and
plan new trees once the building has been completed.

In addition, the new civic plaza is planned to be constructed on the site of the existing Civic Centre which will see the area revitalised around the Tree of Knowledge.

What will happen to the Tree of Knowledge?

Once the new Civic Centre is completed in 2028, the existing Civic Centre building will be removed to make way for the new community plaza, creating a vibrant, welcoming space for people to gather, connect and participate in community and business activities.

At the heart of the future plaza is Galamarrma, the Tree of Knowledge, a place of deep cultural significance. City of Darwin is committed to protecting and celebrating the tree as a central feature of the design.

Who is redeveloping the Civic Centre?

City of Darwin is working with DCOH to revitalise the heart of the city through the proposed development of a new Civic Centre.

Were the community consulted about this project?

Yes, City of Darwin undertook an extensive community and stakeholder engagement process in 2022, input from which has been used to develop the proposed development of the new Civic Centre’s functional design brief.

For more information on the engagement process and to read the report, visit engage.darwin.nt.gov.au/civic-centre-redevelopment

How will the new Civic Centre benefit the community?

The new Civic Centre will allow City of Darwin to return the space occupied by the current building to the community including providing additional protection of Galamarrma, the Tree of Knowledge, and enhancing the connection through to Civic Park and Cavenagh Street.

Enhanced community facilities including a new library
A Customer Service centre
Three floors of office for City of Darwin staff
A function space accommodating up to 300 people, along with additional meeting rooms available for community booking.
Approximately 410 car parking spaces owned by City of Darwin, serving residents, workers, and visitors
A vibrant, green community plaza, with space allocated for a café.

Our aim is that, once complete, the area will feature a cool, green community plaza connecting the new building with Civic Park, creating a place where people can visit, connect with others and engage in community and business activities and events.

Will there be more car parks created as part of the redevelopment?

The new building will include approximately 400 car parking spaces that can be used by residents, workers and visitors to the city and our new library.

How many floors will be in the new Civic Centre?

The new building will include approximately 410 car parking spaces that can be used by residents, workers and visitors to the city and our new library.

What will happen to the current Civic Centre building once the new building is complete?

City of Darwin is developing a community plaza to connect the new Civic Centre to the heart of the city.

Once complete, the current Civic Centre building will be removed to make way for the new community plaza. City of Darwin is looking to create a cool, green and welcoming space.

At the heart of the site is Galamarrma, the Tree of Knowledge, a place of deep cultural importance. City of Darwin is committed to respecting and celebrating this and is exploring how the tree can be a key feature of the design. The tree will be protected and cared for during and after the project.

Site of the new Civic Centre

Traffic Guidance Scheme

Please see the link to safety plan that maps out the placement of signs, barriers, and cones to safely manage traffic and pedestrians around new Civic Centre worksite - Traffic Guidance Scheme.pdf