Newcastle’s future, the city’s council says, is all about brains. 

A new smart city strategy placed on exhibition this week outlines what the council sees as the answer to Newcastle’s “long-term transition” from its industrial roots to a more diverse, “knowledge-based” economy. 

Heavy on words like innovation and “liveability”, the 40-page document sets out the council’s four-year plan to becoming, well, smarter. 

Among the 89 objectives, some the council says it will introduce itself, others it will “investigate” or “advocate” for, are plans ranging from the roll out of smart lighting in the city centre, to an idea to “develop and implement corporate cloud hybrid data storage and recovery including investigating opportunities for a regional data centre co-invested with key city partners”.

At the centre of the strategy is the $17.8 million Hunter Innovation Project.

Funded between the NSW government the University of Newcastle and the council, the project includes an “innovation hub” on Auckland Street to support technology-based industry, free wi-fi in the city and “smart cities infrastructure” that uses the Internet of Things to develop things like smart bins – bins that know when they’re full and can tell garbage collectors – and a smart parking network – parking spots that know when they’re free and can tell drivers. 

How the rest of it will be funded is less clear. 

In a press statement this week the council said that $25 million – including the $17.8 million innovation project – had been committed by it and “project partners”. However it didn’t respond to questions about where the rest of the $7.2 million would be directed, or where it would come from.

The 2017-18 budget includes $650,000 for smart cities projects, and while it’s understood that some funds will come from other areas of the budget, the overall cost is likely to be significantly more over the next four years.

The document was enthusiastically welcomed by councillors this week, with Labor lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes calling it a “portal to a new era” and a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the city.

“From building a tech hub and digital precinct in the city and promoting science-based disciplines through libraries and grants to effecting major energy efficiencies in transport and other services - we're re-inventing the city,” she said.

Liberal Party Councillor David Compton said it was “an exciting proposal”.

“The city is well overdue for a technological upgrade and the positive outcomes that can be derived from incorporating these measures,” he said.