The first steel supports for the structure for the new YHA arrived on site and were erected on Monday 3rd November.  The installation of footings is continuing.  This will be accompanied by short bursts of noise from drilling and anchoring to the bedrock.  The installation of perimeter scaffolding has commenced.

The second edition of the community newsletter has been issued.  To view, please download the PDF file here.

In coming weeks the exterior scaffolding and shade cloth will be installed on site.  Pre-cast footings to support the building will be installed in the hand excavated pits.  There will be some drilling involved in anchoring the footings to the bedrock.  Structural steel will begin to arrive on site.

Site establishment is almost complete.  Hoarding displays have been installed providing information about the site’s history and the development.  Concrete works have commenced for the rainwater tanks and the plant room.  In the coming weeks, pre-cast footings will be established and structural steel installation will begin.

Site establishment continues with the erection of further hoardings and remnant protection scaffolding.  The first hoarding display has been installed on Cumberland Street.

This week the installation of protection scaffolding and hoardings continues.  Excavation of the footings for the buildings is almost complete. 

Construction of Sydney Harbour YHA is well underway with the installation of two cranes on the site.  Whilst these cranes tower above neighbouring buildings, the completed YHA will be only one storey higher than the adjacent Australian Heritage Hotel. 

YHA NSW would like to thank the neighbouring residents and businesses for their understanding and co-operation during the crane installation period.  The site is progressively being covered in scaffolding to protect the archaeological remnants during construction.  The installation of the hoarding is continuing.  The launch of construction has been announced in the media – read about it here.

The installation of cranes on site will occur on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th September 2008.  A full road closure is required of Gloucester Street between Cumberland Street and the Cahill Expressway on these days.  To view the full notification and site plan to better understand the impact of this work, please download the PDF file here.  YHA and Built apologise for any inconvenience the installation of the cranes may cause.

The first community newsletter has been issued.  To view, please download the PDF file here.

The NSW Minister for Planning, Hon Frank Sartor, has approved the development application for Sydney Harbour YHA and the Big Dig Education Centre. For details of the approval, please follow these links:

http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/pdf/06_0265_therocksyha_approval.pdf
http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/pdf/06_0265_therocksyha_dg_asstreport.pdf

Preliminary archaeological excavations took place on the site throughout February and March with significant remnants uncovered in the north-west corner of the site.  Over 1 million artefacts have now been discovered from the site since archaeology began in 1994.