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Charles Street Square is officially open
With the $12m+ transformation of Charles Street Square now complete, Parramatta Quay is ready to welcome residents and visitors to a new riverfront gathering place that connects people to Parramatta’s unique stories.
Celebrating the point where salt water and fresh water meet, Charles Street Square now offers a distinctive arrival for ferry passengers and easy-to-navigate ramps and stairs make connections between the Parramatta River and the CBD accessible to all.
City of Parramatta’s design for Charles Street Square draws inspiration from the curved geometry of the river, the surrounding landscape, and the site’s unique history. This vibrant public space now offers a wide riverside promenade, an amphitheatre, garden terrace and city square. The design also includes more trees and garden beds.
Adding to the visitor experience, a layer of cultural heritage has been introduced through the site, with opportunities to scan small QR codes inlayed into seating to learn more about the people, places and events that have shaped Parramatta over time.
Charles Street Square was officially opened by the Lord Mayor, Cr Pierre Esber and Ms Donna Davis, Councillor and MP for Parramatta on Monday 27 November 2023.
The major public art piece planned for Charles Street Square is scheduled to be installed in mid-2024.
Lead consultants Spackman Mossop Michaels Landscape Architects led a multidisciplinary consultant team to deliver the design, with architecture by Lahz Nimmo Architects.
Award-winning Charles Street Square
- AIA NSW Urban Design Award 2024 (Australian Institute of Architects)
- AILA NSW Award of Excellence for Civic Design 2024 (Australian Institute of Landscape Architects)
Funded by the City of Parramatta Council and NSW Government
Council has dedicated significant funding to this critical project, and sought additional support from the NSW Government in order to be able to deliver a high- quality, resilient public domain for all to enjoy.
As part of the Transport Access Program and the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program, the partnership with the NSW Government will allow the City of Parramatta to realise its ambitious plans to revitalise Parramatta Quay and transform the Parramatta City River Foreshore.
Review of Environmental Factors (REF) and Revised REF
(Back to top)A REF is part of the planning process known as Part 5 under the EP&A Act. As part of the REF, the City of Parramatta was required to fully assess the potential environmental impacts of Charles Street Square both during construction and after completion.
The REF was placed on public exhibition in October 2020, it identified a range of environmental safeguards and mitigations to protect archaeology, preserve water quality, ensure flood resilience, maintain local habitat and respond to other potential environmental risks.
The City of Parramatta reviewed feedback on the REF provided by the community and stakeholders including NSW Government agencies and utilities, and made further refinements to the design for Charles Street Square. A Revised REF was released in early 2021.
The project is also directly liaising with relevant utilities to ensure all approvals are secured and that their requirements are incorporated into the site design and construction.
Project information including consultation around the design and REF can be found on Participate Parramatta
Contact us
(Back to top)For more information and construction images, see participate.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/charlesstreetsquare
If you have any questions you can get in touch with our Charles Street Square Project Team on 1300 617 058 or at CharlesStSquare@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
