Newcastle has launched Australia’s biggest smart pole rollout, with plans to install 350 smart poles. 

Up to 50 smart city technology poles will be deployed around Newcastle’s inner city over the next few months, with a further 300 to make an appearance over the next few years.

The first smart pole has already been deployed at Newcastle Mall.

As well as offering WiFi connectivity, the smart poles boast LED lighting that can be dimmed by remote control, audio speakers for public announcements and cameras for real-time traffic analysis.

“We’re excited about the smart poles because they’re the first real tech hardware installed as part of the smart city strategy we have just released for public comment,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“This is just the beginning of a new era in which we’ll see sensor-based smart lighting and other technology help make the city run more efficiently and provide valuable data insights for businesses, advanced manufacturers and entrepreneurial industries.”

Similar smart poles have been deployed around Darling Harbour, a shopping centre on the Gold Coast and at the University of Wollongong.

Newcastle’s smart city strategy, which has just been released for public comment and is being exhibited until 10 July, also involves the construction of a four-storey innovation hub to be built by the University of Newcastle in partnership with the council.

“From building the tech hub in a new digital precinct and promoting science-based disciplines to effecting major energy efficiencies in transport and other services — we're re-inventing the city,” Nelmes says. 

“Apps for ratepayers to transact with council, digital wayfinding for tourists and sensors to show garbage truck drivers the bins that need emptying, businesses when to open and motorists where to park are key components of this overarching vision.”

Image: A smart pole