The long-silent Eveleigh Railway Yards could soon swap steam for studio lights under a proposal to convert part of the heritage site into a modern film-production complex alongside hundreds of new homes.
Draft plans for the 10-hectare North Eveleigh precinct show the 135-year-old Paint Shop building reimagined as sound stages, while nearby towers of up to 28 storeys would add between 320 and 450 dwellings, with at least 30 per cent reserved for affordable and diverse housing.

For locals in Eveleigh, Redfern and Darlington, the scheme promises a new public square, 1.1 hectares of green space, and safer walking and cycling links to Redfern Station—replacing fenced-off industrial land that has been off-limits for more than a century.
Supporters say an inner-city studio would plug a long-standing gap in Sydney’s screen infrastructure, creating production jobs and feeding into the Tech Central innovation corridor that stretches from Central Station to Camperdown.
Heritage features—including the wrought-iron roof trusses and distinctive red-brick façade of the 6,000-square-metre Paint Shop—will be retained, with adaptive reuse guided by conservation plans for the Eveleigh Railway Workshops.

What’s Planned for the Site
Outside the community-facing aspects, a capital fund of $100 million has been earmarked to secure a new Sydney studio site, with North Eveleigh now under active consideration. The funding sits within a wider $380 million screen-sector package supporting local productions and jobs.
If the business case proceeds, construction could begin once formal development applications are approved. Transport for NSW, which owns the site, has confirmed that rezoning completed in late 2023 allows for:
| Feature | Planned delivery |
|---|---|
| New homes | 320 – 450 (minimum 30% affordable/diverse) |
| Employment space | Up to 6,200 jobs in tech, creative and commercial sectors |
| Public open space | 1.12 ha including a town square and parkland |
| Community & cultural space | 3,700 m², including dedicated space for local Aboriginal groups |
Community Response
Redfern resident Maya Williams welcomed the prospect of new green space:
“Carriageworks already draws people in for the markets and arts; adding a park and proper paths will make the area feel less like a closed-off industrial pocket.”

Local historian Ken Leong added a note of caution: “Any studio build must respect the site’s rail heritage—it’s part of what gives Eveleigh its soul.”
Published Date 01-July-2025














































