Atlassian to take up spot as anchor tenant at government’s Central-Eveleigh tech precinct

Four years after missing out on a chance to redevelop the Australian Technology Park site, Atlassian will finally get to set up shop at Eveleigh.

Scott Farquhar, cofounder and co-CEO of Atlassian, yesterday linked up with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to announce the company has reached an agreement in principle become an anchor tenant at the Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct to be developed at Central-Eveleigh, between Central and Redfern stations.

“The Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct will become the digital destination for all of Australia with thousands of people working and learning, and I am delighted Atlassian will be part of this future,” Berejiklian said.

The precinct is one of four announced by Berejiklian.

Also planned is the Liverpool Health and Innovation Precinct, to be based around Liverpool Hospital.

A statement of intent was signed by the South Western Sydney Local Health District, University of New South Wales, University of Wollongong and Western Sydney University and the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Science to create the precinct.

Meanwhile, $12.5 million in funding will be allocated to the development of a Nuclear Medicine and Technology Hub in partnership with the Australian Nuclear Science Technology Association. To hub will be based in Lucas Heights, in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

The government also announced plans to create a Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct in the Gosford CBD to increase education and job opportunities.

“These precincts will bring together universities, major hospitals, industry leaders and startups to deliver more job opportunities across Sydney and the Central Coast,” Berejiklian said.

“We want western and south western Sydney and the Central Coast to have the best jobs and the best education opportunities, and these new precincts will deliver that.”

The journey to a tech precinct for the Sydney CBD has been a long one, with the state government in 2015 announcing plans to build a ‘Silicon Harbour’ at the old White Bay power station by 2020.

However, the plan was plagued by concerns around lack of public transport to the area and affordability.

Atlassian questioned the plan at the time, stating, “While harbour foreshore views are undoubtedly attractive, they also command a premium price. With no nearby mass transit solution, it means the proposal falls way beyond the reach of the majority of our startup community, incubators and universities who form a critical part of the technology ecosystem.”

The plan fell over in 2017, when Google announced its withdrawal from negotiations with the government to base its new headquarters at the planned precinct.

Developer Mirvac then last year had a plan to develop a tech precinct at the Carriageworks site at Eveleigh, next door to its Australian Technology Park site, rejected. The developer had proposed Google would be an anchor tenant at the site.