The distinct, dark greyish-blue shade of blue bricks form an essential part of Armidale’s heritage streetscapes and historic homes, including UNE’s iconic Booloominbah homestead.
UNE Vice Chancellor and CEO, Professor Chris Moran, placed the Armidale blue brick in the building’s foundations on Wednesday morning. Alongside it was a traditional Tamworth ‘red brick’ which Professor Moran said was representative of UNE’s connection and commitment to the local community.
"Armidale is where UNE was founded but UNE has been a part of the Tamworth community for many decades,” he said.
“They're not competing stories — they're chapters in the same book about what a regional university can be. This campus represents nearly a decade of planning, partnership, and persistence. It's what happens when a university and a community decide together that the future is worth building."
Central Coast-based construction firm North Construction & Building Pty Ltd were awarded the contract in late 2025 and construction is well underway at the corner of Peel and Roderick Streets. The building is on-track to open for teaching and learning in early 2028.
Works have transitioned from the slab and substructure phase into the building's vertical structure. Level one suspended slab was successfully poured in early September, marking a significant project milestone.
Professor Moran said UNE’s connection to Tamworth did not stop with bricks and mortar, but a commitment to the employment of professional staff and academics to live, work and connect with the local community.
“We're not waiting for the building to be finished to make an impact. In the coming months, we'll be investing further in staff on the ground in Tamworth — people who are here to listen, to connect, and to continue delivering for this community,” he said.
While anticipation continues to build around the UNE Tamworth Central Project, Director of Place Based Education and Research, Professor Melanie Fillios, said the university was actively looking at ways to connect and work with community and industry.
“We’ve made a significant investment in academic and professional staff whose roles are to connect and work with the Tamworth community now, and into the future,” she said.
“We’re in schools, we’re supporting our community through events and we are partnering with industry through pipelines to employment, research and professional learning opportunities.
“UNE has been in Tamworth for more than five decades and we’re looking forward to what more we can achieve in the decades to come,” she said
The construction of UNE Tamworth Central is possible thanks to $26.6 million from the NSW Government and contributions by UNE, TRC and the Federal Government through the Job Ready Graduates program. The four-storey building was designed by Architectus and construction is led by project managers Touchstone Partners and builders North Construction and Building.
