The disused railway yards at North Eveleigh are emerging as a prime contender to become Sydney’s second major film studio, potentially transforming the historic precinct into a new production hub for international blockbusters.
Read: Eveleigh Rail Yards Poised for Screen Hub and New Homes
Expressions of interest are set to open in late March for a $100 million investment in new sound stages and production facilities, with the disused Transport NSW-owned land at Redfern identified as one of two front-runners. The other potential location is a site near the Armoury at Sydney Olympic Park.
The push for additional studio capacity comes at a critical juncture for NSW’s screen industry. Recent figures from Screen Australia reveal Queensland has overtaken NSW as Australia’s premier production hub, capturing 34 per cent of national production spending in 2024-25—double its previous year’s share. NSW’s share now sits at 31 per cent, followed by Victoria at 27 per cent and South Australia at 3 per cent.
Private consortium Distillery Capital has presented an informal proposal for the North Eveleigh site. The plan envisions eight state-of-the-art sound studios, co-located editing suites and rehearsal spaces, alongside community green space and up to 500 affordable inner-city dwellings on the industrial heritage site south of Redfern Station.
The consortium comprises local filmmakers, architects and a construction giant. University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott has expressed support for the Eveleigh proposal, seeing it as an opportunity to finally deliver a long-desired pedestrian bridge linking Australian Technology Park with Carriageworks and the surrounding Tech Central precinct, while addressing the university’s need for student accommodation.
The timing reflects growing frustration within NSW’s screen sector, which generates more than $1 billion annually for the state economy. Industry figures warn that infrastructure shortages are costing the state major productions and driving talent interstate. Disney Studios at Moore Park remains Sydney’s only existing production facility, and industry leaders say they simply cannot secure studio time when they need it.
The capacity crunch recently affected Amazon’s upcoming Spaceballs sequel, scheduled for 2027 release. Unable to book space at Disney’s 32-acre Moore Park site, the production was forced to shoot key scenes in a repurposed freight warehouse in Granville.
Wayne Pashley, whose audio work includes Australian blockbusters Mad Max: Fury Road, Elvis and The Great Gatsby, has welcomed the commitment to address what successive administrations failed to tackle despite repeated industry warnings. He points out the irony that American studios are eager to film in Sydney but cannot due to the shortage of available sound stages, calling it a frustrating economic own-goal.
Queensland’s dramatic rise has been fuelled by big-budget tent pole productions attracted to the Gold Coast, including Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and Voltron. Queensland facilities have lured NSW craftspeople and production companies north. Director Baz Luhrmann established his production company in what’s been dubbed Goldiewood after completing Elvis on the Gold Coast.
Screen NSW acknowledged in a Christmas Eve message to the industry that recent market soundings confirmed the urgent need for additional production space, with Sydney missing out on major international productions due to capacity constraints.
The procurement criteria suggest the winning partner will need to deliver facilities on publicly owned land within approximately 35 kilometres of the Sydney CBD, with strong connections to major road networks. The evaluation will focus on strengthening production capacity, attracting international blockbusters, creating local jobs, and ensuring NSW remains competitive in the national screen landscape. Development will be supported by co-investment from the $100 million capital fund.
The 35-kilometre preference zone appears to exclude separate private proposals for film studios at the Central Coast and Oran Park, which lie beyond the specified radius.
The procurement process unfolds during a period of leadership transition at Screen NSW, following the resignation of executive director Kyas Hepworth, who made history as the first First Nations woman to lead the agency.
For Redfern residents, the potential studio development represents a significant shift for the neighbourhood’s industrial heritage landscape. The proposal could bring new economic activity and creative industry jobs to the inner-city precinct while raising questions about how such a transformation would reshape the area’s character and accessibility.
Read: Redfern at the Heart of $14.5-Million Hurdle in Rabbitohs’ Moore Park Push
The expressions of interest process will provide more clarity on whether Redfern’s railway yards will indeed become the next chapter in Sydney’s screen production story.
Published 30-December-2025
