Hundreds of new high-tech jobs could flow to the Hunter from the establishment of an advanced manufacturing facility (AMF) to support high-speed rail.
The federal government will take the first step in the process on Wednesday when it calls for expressions of interest to develop the facility near the proposed rail corridor.
The facility will bring together advanced manufacturing, technology and precision engineering to produce the majority of the construction elements needed for the $90 billion Newcastle to Sydney high-speed rail project.
The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) is working through the design, approval processes, scope and costs for the 191-kilometre Newcastle to Sydney HSR link as part of a two-year development phase.
HSRA chief executive Tim Parker said the AMF was an opportunity to change how Australia delivered major infrastructure, manufacturing repeatable components in a controlled environment to achieve quality and consistency, reduce waste, support safer workplaces and provide greater certainty over cost and delivery.
Besides rail components, the AMF could support stronger domestic supply chains and help develop skills and expertise that can strengthen other parts of Australia's infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.
"My message to industry is very simple: dare to be different," Mr Parker said.
"We're looking at taking advantage of the latest robotics, BIM (building Information Modelling), 3D, digital. All those things need to go in.
"We're looking for productivity benefits and for a big uplift in how we produce components in this country, so that we can actually deliver this project more effectively, more efficiently and obviously at lower cost."
As an example, the concrete circular lining of the Sydney Metro railway tunnels was built in a factory and transported underground where they were installed to form the tunnels.
Mr Parker said the next step was to make as many parts as possible in controlled environments then transport them to where they needed to be installed.
For example, a railway equipment room could be built at the facility and transported underground for significantly less than building it from scratch underground.
The exact location of the AMF will be considered as part of the expressions of interest process.
Lake Macquarie City Council has previously pitched using the disused Macquarie Coal site in Teralba as a potential staging zone and construction hub for the high-speed rail project, arguing it aligns with the region's local blue-collar workforce transition and manufacturing strengths.
The HSRA has already brought on board leading Australian and international industry partners through an early contractor involvement process to help shape the project's development, including world-class tunnellers and global high-speed train manufacturers.
Through the AMF procurement process, the HSRA will work with industry to explore the shape of the facility and identify practical ways to lift productivity. It is seeking organisations that bring expertise, experience with proven technology and experience applying it.
"This process is an opportunity for industry to help shape a facility that supports the delivery of High Speed Rail and much more, building a stronger Australian manufacturing capability," Mr Parker said.
The AMF is part of the project's development phase, at the end of which the government will make an investment decision on the project.
If it proceeds, the Newcastle to Central Coast stretch would aim to be delivered by 2037, followed by an extension to Sydney Central by 2039 and Western Sydney International Airport by 2042.
It would include stations at Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Central Coast, Sydney Central, Parramatta and Western Sydney International.
The business case found the entire project would deliver between 80 cents and $1 for every dollar spent on its construction.
