Safer Cities FAQs

The pathway and road from George St Gatehouse to Macquarie St Gatehouse and to Westmead railway station, residential and health areas is a popular commuter route for people using the park to walk to and from Parramatta CBD and Westmead.

There are currently no plans to light other parts of the park loop road. Lighting may be considered in the future as demand grows to use the park at night-time from neighbouring residential and business areas.

The lights will be on every night except under special arrangements.

The lights will have similar brightness to the car parking bays along Park Avenue.

The lights will be visible however we expect the impact to be minimal and not over and above the existing car parking lighting along Park Avenue.

The West Domain parking area will not be lit as part of this project.

Sport fields and picnic shelter hiring hours will remain the same.

The park is open to pedestrians 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The park opening and closing hours for vehicles will not be extended and will remain 6am-6pm (8pm during daylight saving).

GSP has received section 60 approval from Heritage NSW to undertake works. The placement of the lights has been sensitively considered in keeping with the park’s heritage and landscape.

Greater Sydney Parklands has taken steps to minimise the impact of lighting on all wildlife in the park, including the grey-headed flying fox. You can view the Review of Environmental Factors here.

No trees will be removed as part of this project.

A person’s perception of safety can often be different to the actual risk presented.

Extensive consultation with women, girls and First Nations people found that the majority did not feel safe to use Parramatta Park at night. 81% of participants said lighting of trees and the ground along the path would make them feel safe walking at night.

Yes. 75% of participants said security cameras along the path would make them feel safe.

As part of the program, electrical infrastructure will be installed at key points within the park to allow for future connection to the City of Parramatta’s CCTV network. The network currently does not extend to Parramatta Park and this connection is unfunded.

We have hosted NAIDOC and National Reconciliation Week events in the park and will continue to do so. We have commissioned an Aboriginal artist to prepare an artwork concept plan for the Buttons Bridge and shall commence our Freshwater Connections with Country project in 2024.

There will also be opportunities to project First Nations artwork and storytelling in lights on the boulevard near George St Gatehouse.

Parramatta Park has an active and varied schedule of events throughout the year including Sydney Symphony under the Stars, Australia Day and NAIDOC celebrations. As part of this project, we have included provision for future lighting of the monuments, including light displays, and small event and activity infrastructure to support regular activation of the park such as food trucks in the early evening.

We will work with our First Nations communities to program more cultural activations in the Park.

 The proposed lighting will have a minor impact on the cultural heritage landscape of the park as much-needed night-time lighting is provided for the safety of park users.

Lights have been located away from Old Government House along the selected route from Parramatta CBD to Westmead Railway Station and have been carefully selected to be as narrow and low as possible to minimise the bulk and height of the pole and to align with, or be below, the height of most trees along the path to provide screening. In the immediate setting of the Macquarie Street Gatehouse, smaller bollard lighting has been selected that is similar to the lighting on the path to Old Government House from the Macquarie Street Gatehouse car park, to reduce the impact of lighting in this part of the park.

The routes of all trenches have also been carefully designed to avoid areas of high archaeological value and significant trees. Where significant tree roots occur, cables are either to be under bored or methodically installed with the supervision of a qualified arborist. Areas of high archaeological value have also been mapped and avoided.

All heritage works applications have been approved by Heritage NSW.