Parramatta River Transformation

Construction anticipated to begin in late 2023.

City of Parramatta is excited to be delivering a unique lookout experience at the heart of the Parramatta River Foreshore at Stewart Street Reserve.

Expected to be completed in early 2024, the lookout will breathe much-needed life into the underutilised Stewart Street Reserve and create a scenic and cultural destination for our community to enjoy. 

The Stewart Street Reserve Escarpment Lookout will link the Escarpment Boardwalk and Charles Street Square. 

A draft concept plan for an escarpment lookout was submitted to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment 'Places to Roam' Program in mid-2022, with Council securing $500K in NSW Government funding.

The City of Parramatta will invest a further $500K in the project to create a vibrant and engaging public space with a viewing platform overlooking the Parramatta River.

The Escarpment Lookout presents an opportunity for a new gathering space for relaxation, celebration, reflection and enjoyment that is safe and accessible for all users. The concept plan proposes a cantilevered platform structure that would offer views directly over Parramatta River. New paths, seating, feature tree planting and bushland planting are proposed for the project.

For details on the project, including planned community consultation, please visit the Stewart Street Reserve Escarpment Lookout Participate Parramatta project page. 

Council, in consultation with TransDev and Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is currently investigating design solutions for a new river crossing at the Charles Street Weir which will improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and provide more opportunities to enjoy the Parramatta River. 

Planned for completion in 2025, a new wider river crossing at Parramatta Weir will unite the  Escarpment Boardwalk with Charles Street Square and connect the City Centre to the regional Parramatta River Valley trail.

Planned minor upgrades to the Parramatta Weir will also support flood resilience, and improve silt and debris management post-flooding.

The Charles Street Footbridge project will include public domain improvements and landscaping works such as new pavement, balustrades, lighting, wayfinding signage etc.

Community consultation on the Charles Street Footbridge is planned to begin in 2024 with construction expected to begin in late 2024.

Old King’s Foreshore lights up

The Old King's Foreshore is a culturally significant stretch of the river foreshore and a high-traffic pedestrian corridor linking key destinations including the Parramatta CBD and CommBank Stadium.

Following extensive community consultation, planning and design, Heritage NSW approvals, and a construction program delayed by unseasonal heavy rains, the Old King’s Foreshore lighting project is now complete.

Twenty (20) LED light poles have been installed along the shared pathway, adjacent to the Old King's Parade Ground.

The new light poles provide consistent, high-quality lighting of the foreshore path and the connecting link to O’Connell Street, making the trip between the Parramatta CBD and CommBank Stadium brighter and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

The new LED light poles match those installed adjacent to The Lennox development (opposite Riverside Theatres).

The lights, and new landscaping, bring an understated contemporary style to the Parramatta River foreshore.

Project information, including the lighting design, details around community consultation, the Review of Environmental Factors, and frequently asked questions, can be found on Participate Parramatta.

This project was proudly funded by City of Parramatta, with funding support from the NSW Government under the Greater Sydney Crown Lands Open Space Activation Program.
 

As part of a Voluntary Planning Agreement between City of Parramatta and the developers of 12-14 Phillip Street, the foreshore area on the south-side of the Parramatta River is being renewed. 

The project includes a range of public domain improvements between Church Street and Marsden Street including new pedestrian access via the Lennox Bridge and new stairs within the development linking to Church Street and Marsden Street. 

A new boardwalk will extend to the west providing more access to the foreshore area with outlook towards the Marsden Street Weir.  In addition to repairing the sea wall, new paving and balustrades will be introduced. Upgrades to lighting, seating, and new tree planting will also contribute to making the area more welcoming and attractive. 

Charles Street Square at Parramatta Quay has been a gathering place for locals and visitors for thousands of years – and now with funding support from the NSW Government via the Transport Access and NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program - it’s getting a major upgrade.

A critical project for Council, the area adjacent to the new Parramatta Ferry Wharf will be transformed into a vibrant public space, an accessible entry point to our City that celebrates the Parramatta River. Construction on the $10M+ project is expected to be completed by September 2023.  

For full details on this project see Participate Parramatta Charles Street Square

The Alfred Street Bridge is a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the Parramatta River between James Ruse Drive and the Gasworks Bridge.  At 4.5 meters wide and almost 200m long, it will be the first true diagonal arch bridge in Australia.

Co-funded by City of Parramatta and the NSW Government, this $19 million project is part of the revitalisation of the River, and is a key element within a network of planned pedestrian and cyclist improvements.

For more information visit the Alfred Street Bridge page.

Information on community consultation, and on the related cycleway projects, can be found here.