Yasmin Catley
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism
Minister for the Hunter
Jihad Dib
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government
Minister for Emergency Services
Minister for Youth Justice
Steve Kamper
Minister for Small Business
Minister for Lands and Property
Minister for Multiculturalism
Minister for Sport
| [Choose document type –Alert, Release, Statement, Planning, Hansard, Opinion, Speech or Transcript] $28 Million Emergency Services Precinct in Central Byron Bay |
Tuesday, 3 December 2024
The NSW Government is today announcing plans for a new, state-of-the-art emergency services precinct in the heart of Byron Bay.
The $28 million project will create modern facilities for both NSW Police and Fire and Rescue NSW, supporting frontline workers and ensuring the region’s emergency services can meet the demands of the growing population.
$20 million was originally allocated in July 2022 to rebuild the Byron Bay police station on its current site. However, size constraints and heritage considerations made redevelopment at that location unfeasible.
At the same time, the local fire station was identified as requiring significant upgrades.
To address these challenges, Fire and Rescue NSW allocated an additional $8 million, allowing both services to be co-located at a new emergency services precinct.
Planning of the facility is underway and construction is expected to begin in early 2026 and finish by the end of 2027.
The project will be built on a 6,500-square-metre section of crown land within the Sandhills Estate, on the eastern side of Gilmore Crescent.
The new precinct will feature modern, strategically positioned facilities to improve operational capacity and staff amenities for both agencies.
It will also offer enhanced flood resilience and connectivity, with nearby Tennyson Street set to be extended for improved access to police and fire vehicles.
The Sandhills Estate, a 19-hectare area adjacent to the Byron Bay CBD, was historically used for sand mining and is now the focus of extensive planning and redevelopment.
The site was secured for the precinct through Aboriginal Land Agreements (ALAs) negotiated by Crown Lands, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, and the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council, settling outstanding land claims and interests.
This vital investment addresses the growing demands of the Byron Bay community, where substantial population increase has outgrown the capacity of existing emergency service facilities.
By co-locating Police and Fire and Rescue NSW, the precinct will ensure efficient, resilient, and centrally located services for years to come.
The NSW Government remains committed to enhancing public safety infrastructure and supporting the needs of local communities through strategic planning and investment.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:
“This collaboration between the NSW Police and Fire & Rescue will further strengthen their capability to serve and protect the Byron Bay community.
“Police and emergency services go above and beyond to make our community a safer place. This project is a major investment to ensure they have the resources and facilities they need to continue this important work.”
“The Minns Labor Government is supporting out police like never before – we’ve secured a historic pay agreement, we’re paying recruits to study and offering a pathway for them to work in or near their hometown after graduating the Goulburn Police Academy. There’s never been a better time to join the NSW Police Force.”
Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said:
“The NSW Government committed $8.2 million to the new Byron Bay fire station in this year’s budget, reaffirming our commitment to rebuilding essential services across the state.
“This new facility will replace a building that is almost 50 years old and provides our firefighters with modern amenities to better serve the community.”
Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper said:
“The Minns Labor Government is focused on building better communities. It’s great to see Crown land being utilised to deliver a range of benefits for critical emergency services, Aboriginal outcomes, community recreation and environmental protection.”
“I thank the NSW agencies, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council and Byron Shire Council for working together to secure an outcome that puts the needs of the community and our social infrastructure first.”
Member for Lismore and NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said:
“Co-locating NSW Police and Fire and Rescue NSW on Crown land makes perfect sense to service Byron Shire’s future population growth and its year-round influx of visitors.
“This should be the model for future developments where our emergency services agencies outgrow existing sites and need purpose-built upgrades across the Northern Rivers region, and beyond.”
Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said:
“Our police and firefighters have been dedicating themselves and risking their lives to protect our community in sub-standard facilities for many years. This purpose-built infrastructure honours their work and supports the safety of our residents and the millions of tourists that visit us each year.”
“Huge congratulations to the Ministers for backing in the groundwork over many years by Byron Detective Inspector Matt Keogh, Fire and Rescue Superintendent Greg Lewis, and the General Manager of Byron Shire Council Mark Arnold.”
Photo caption, from left, Byron Shire Mayor Cr Sarah Ndiaye, Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell AFSM, NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM, State Member for Ballina Tamara Smith, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, and NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib.
