New emergency precinct brings Byron Bay police station to different part of town

WORK has begun on a new state-of-the-art police station in Byron Bay, with the facility expected to open in 2028.

The station will be built at the new emergency services precinct opposite the Youth Activities Centre (YAC) on Gilmore Crescent, alongside a new Fire & Rescue NSW station.

Early works are underway on the $21.8 million project, funded by the NSW Government, including site clearing, civil works and supporting infrastructure.

The NSW Government had previously planned to rebuild the Byron Bay Police Station on its existing site, but size constraints and heritage considerations made redevelopment there unfeasible. At the same time, the town’s fire station was identified as needing significant upgrades.

To address both challenges, Fire and Rescue NSW contributed an additional $8 million, enabling the co-location of police and fire services within a new emergency services precinct at the recently redeveloped Sandhills Estate – an award-winning site with a history of sand mining.

 

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the new station would ensure local officers had modern, fit-for-purpose facilities to help prevent crime and keep the community safe well into the future.

“As more people visit and call Byron Bay home, it’s critical that our frontline police have the infrastructure, resources and support required to meet increasing demand and continue delivering high-quality policing services,” she said.

“Once finished, it will provide a contemporary policing hub that will serve the community for decades to come.

“Investing in police infrastructure is only part of the equation, we’re investing in our people like never before.

“We’ve delivered a historic pay rise, we’re paying recruits to train and created a new pathway for regional recruits to return to or near their hometown after training.

“For anyone considering a career in policing, there has never been a better time to join the NSW Police Force and make a real difference in communities like Byron Bay.”

The land for the precinct was secured through Aboriginal Land Agreements negotiated by Crown Lands, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council.