Cockatoo Island to become new ICT centre

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 19 October 2005 11:00

IT Industry - Market

Cockatoo Island, the largest island in Sydney Harbour and a former shipbuilding and convict prison site, is aiming to reinvent itself as a centre of innovation for the ICT industry.

The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust is seeking expressions of interest on leasing buildings and facilities on the island, and input from the industry on how the island can be developed to meet the current and future needs of the Australian information and communications technology sector.

Geoff Bailey, executive director of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, said the call for expressions of interest and consultation with industry leaders is part of the revival of the historic 17.9 hectares site.

“Our vision for Cockatoo Island is to revive maritime activity and create a dynamic mix of business, cultural, and recreational activities that will allow the history and future of this unique site to sympathetically blend,” he said.

“The Trust is particularly keen to engage with the ICT industry to ensure that the technology infrastructure of the island is planned to meet current and future needs. In terms of IT and communications infrastructure, it’s a ‘green field’ site. We are encouraging adaptive re-use of existing buildings and facilities. That means ensuring that we have a technology infrastructure in place that will meet the evolving needs of leading companies and organisations in technology-based sectors such as IT services and consulting, communications, multimedia, design, animation, and post-production services for film and television."

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become part of the next chapter of Cockatoo Island’s history,” said Bailey. “I believe a business sector as agile and future-oriented as ICT has a key role to play in the development of this unique commercial and cultural community.”