Moore Park East to be transformed to increase community green space

Greater Sydney Parklands (GSP) progressed planning for a Landscape Plan for Moore Park East following the commencement of the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Act 2022, which will see the gradual staged removal of event car parking from the grassed areas of Moore Park. The Landscape Plan builds on the objectives of the Moore Park Master Plan 2040 and acts as a blueprint for how GSP can bring that vision to life.
 
It includes plans for a variety of community recreational uses to better meet the needs of local residents, improve connectivity and accessibility, support community sport as well as high-performance sporting groups, and enhance the natural environment.

The Landscape Plan will be delivered in stages over time as funding becomes available and in line with the staged removal of on-grass car parking.
 
Stage one initial works have recently begun at Upper Kippax where on-grass car parking has already been removed. These works are preparing the site for landscaping which is anticipated to start in mid-2023 around the Village Green area.
 
We will continue to provide updates on the roll out of the Landscape Plan as funding becomes available and further works are undertaken.

Community and stakeholder feedback was critical for developing a plan for this important piece of parkland. The consultation on the Landscape Plan builds upon the engagement that was undertaken for the Moore Park Master Plan 2040.

We worked closely with the community, in developing the Moore Park East Landscape Plan. A detailed and inclusive program of consultation was carried out between December 2021 and September 2022. During this time, GSP consulted with community groups, local sporting groups and First Nations peoples, and heard from hundreds of stakeholders and community members.  You can read the outcomes report.

GSP has allocated $2 million to deliver the first stage of works that will immediately make improvements to Moore Park East. Stage 1 works are anticipated to begin in mid-2023 around the Village Green area.

Further works will be delivered in stages over several years as funding becomes available and in line with the staged removal of on-grass car parking.

Upgrades to Moore Park East will increase quality green space for the communities surrounding Moore Park, particularly those suburbs directly to the north and west including Paddington, Surry Hills and Green Square. It will enhance connections to neighbouring communities through new and upgraded park entries and pathways, which will improve accessibility and safety for people visiting the precinct to attend major events.

The northern part of Moore Park East and around Kippax Lake will have a strong community focus.

Upgrades include:

• Lawn terraces as places to sit and watch sport
• A community oval for recreational play and sport use
• Improved seating and nature play areas for children
• Landscaping, shade tree planting, and attractive understory planting
• Improvements to pathways, wayfinding, and lighting for better connections through the park.

The Moore Park Master Plan 2040 notes the important role of Moore Park East in supporting major events. The Landscape Plan acknowledges that Moore Park East plays a dual role as a community green space and thoroughfare for major events at the adjacent Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium.

The Landscape Plan will enhance the pedestrian experience for large crowds to the precinct by widening paths and creating shaded walkways with more wayfinding signate and increased lighting to increase accessibility and safety for people visiting the precinct to attend major events. This will make it easier for patrons to travel between Tibby Cotter Bridge, the light rail station and the stadia on Driver Avenue.

We will also explore how Driver Avenue can better support major events, while creating a more friendly pedestrian and cycling environment

The Landscape Plan outlines a significant increase in native understory plantings beneath the fig trees along Moore Park Road and Driver Avenue, which will provide both food and habitat for small birds and animals.

The Plan outlines GSP’s commitment to protecting the wildlife at Kippax Lake. The future renewal of Kippax Lake will be sensitive to the needs of the local aquatic birds (commonly sighted birds include Black Swan, Hardhead, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Eurasian Coot). Improvements will be made in line with specialist advice and will include introducing a variety of plants available for grazing and exploring opportunities to naturally clean water within the lake.

Moore Park East will also become a dog on-leash area at the completion of works in the Village Green to limit potential conflicts between dogs and wildlife.

High performance sport is a key part of Moore Park’s identity.

The Moore Park Master Plan 2040 clearly identified Moore Park East as a place that can be used by both community and high-performance sporting groups, as well as providing the community with appropriate spaces for recreation, events, and connection to nature. The Landscape Plan informs how these complementary uses can be better balanced to benefit both the community as well as high-performance sport.

The Landscape Plan outlines the opportunity to deliver new and upgraded training facilities for high-performance sport, following the removal of parking at Lower Kippax and Showground Field.

The Landscape Plan also provides for multifunctional uses. Community and high-performance sporting uses remain, opportunities for spectating will be increased, and there is better provision of community infrastructure for social and passive uses.

Moore Park East hosts a range of community sporting groups each week, with the primary user groups being local cricket clubs and organisations, and local schools.

The Landscape Plan includes an upgrade to the synthetic cricket wicket and field at the Village Green where on grass car parking has already been removed and community sport is already played.

Moore Park East will also be able to better cater for a range of sporting experiences from kicking a ball around with friends to joining a community sporting match or watching your favourite high-performance sporting groups train.

Fields can be used by the community for low impact passive recreation when not in use by a hirer or closed for maintenance. This will continue following the renewal of Moore Park East.

We want Moore Park East to be a place where people will be able to pause, relax and enjoy nature.

The Landscape Plan proposes a range of locations for people to sit and rest. These include:

• The Village Green – new seating under the fig trees and grassy terraces will provide places to sit on and enjoy park life
• Kippax Lake – grassy lawns will remain, providing sheltered space for picnics, yoga and other passive activities, integrated with beautiful understory planting.

Dogs will continue to be welcome at Moore Park and across Centennial Parklands.
 
Extensive consultation on the draft Moore Park East landscape plan took place between 22 July and 11 September 2022. Greater Sydney Parklands invited feedback from community members and stakeholders about the future of Moore Park East.
 
This informed the the What We Heard Report, proposing all areas of Moore Park East were become on-leash at the completion of the Village Green works to see better protection for wildlife at Kippax Lake.
 
GSP will further explore this when the first stages of the Moore Park East landscape work is completed in 2024. As Moore Park East is transformed over time into high quality, multiuse space with increased areas for children’s play and picnics, it will change the ways users interact with the parklands and each other.
 
We will consult and communicate further with the community before any potential changes are made. GSP urges dog owners to act responsibly and review our guidelines: Your Guide For Dogs