EXP Capital has acquired a 150ha site in Rutherford, previously considered for a rail freight terminal, with plans to transform it into a $1.5 billion business and innovation precinct. The company settled on the Dalmore Park holding, located on the New England Highway, in February 2025. Originally subdivided in December 1859 for the trustees of the late T.W.M. Winder, the land was formerly operated as a farm by B Marheine Holdings.
The previous proposal, known as the Rutherford Park Freight and Business Centre, included offices, a rail park, and a freight facility with a spur connected to the Main Northern Railway line. An environmental assessment for that earlier project was prepared in 2017. EXP Capital purchased the Dalmore Park property for a price of roughly $147,333 per hectare.
The latest plan envisions a large employment hub with industrial and advanced manufacturing, health and research facilities. It also proposes offices, retail, a hotel, and a leisure precinct. The project will be delivered in stages over 20 years and is the largest of its kind in NSW history.
With about 1.5 kilometres of highway frontage, the development is expected to commence with New England Highway upgrades, aiming for completion in the third quarter of 2029. Maitland’s population is forecast to rise from more than 100,000 to over 160,000 by 2046, representing annual growth of about 2.6 per cent.
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EXP Capital development director Gavan Reynolds said the region has a chance to become a destination for advanced manufacturing, innovation, health, and technology. “This region has always powered Australia through its industries and workforce, and now it has the opportunity to become one of the country’s leading destinations for advanced manufacturing, innovation, health and technology,” Reynolds said.
Maitland mayor Philip Penfold noted the development could help translate population growth into employment and services. “Projects like this are how we make sure our growth translates into real jobs, services and opportunities for local families, now and for decades to come,” Penfold said.
Maitland City Council planning documents identify the broader Dalmore Park precinct at about 256ha. The draft development control identifies remnant vegetation forming part of a regional biodiversity corridor, with threatened species including the brush-tailed phascogale and squirrel glider.
