Pirrama Park
The City of Sydney has transformed the former Water Police site at Pyrmont into a stunning waterfront park. In 2005, the new City Council paid $11 million to buy the former Water Police site and allocated $14.8 million to consult, design and create a park that responded to community aspirations.
The park contract was $20 million and the building contract was $1.5 million.
The award-winning park design celebrates Pyrmont’s history-sandstone artefacts in the innovative playground reflect former quarries; the promenade marks the original shoreline; ‘Stevedore Walk’ recalls the wharves and workers; and native plantings restore biodiversity to this once heavily vegetated peninsula.
Importantly, the park’s new name honours the original inhabitants who called this area ‘Pirrama’, and sustainable solar panels and rain water capture help secure its future.
Image gallery
Image Gallery - Photo Update >>
Video
How we created Pirrama Park - watch our construction time lapse video
Key features of the Park
Point and Green: a large grassed area in the north of the park provides space for recreation and play. Clusters of figs along the edges provide shade.
Grove: on the eastern edge of the park, a grove of Eucalyptus trees defines the border on Pirrama Road. The lawn is a space for picnicking, barbeques and recreation.
A children’s playground is located near the kiosk area. Imaginative play equipment from ‘whale bones’ to musical instruments provide a safe and dynamic environment for a range of ages and abilities.
The Shoreline Promenade is a central spine through the park connecting Harris Street in the south to Pyrmont Point Park in the north. The promenade relates to the alignment of the original shore, and the concrete wall marks the alignment of the first seawall.
A Community Square located at the southern edge of the site provides a shaded, grassed area overlooking the sheltered bay.
The Sheltered Bay creates an inlet harbour at the southern edge of the park and is designed to reinterpret the alignment of the historic foreshore, prior to the site’s reclamation in the early 20th century. Steps lead to the water and provide seating at the water’s edge.
A Pole Garden celebrates the site’s maritime heritage by reusing the original wharf timber.
Escarpment Access: new stairs connecting Herbert Street to Pirrama Road creates a convenient and clear connection between the cliff top and foreshore promenades.
Environmentally Sustainable Design: solar panels, stormwater collection, bio-filtration basins and native plantings are all important sustainable design features in the park.
New harbour access: the park is an important link in the Sydney Harbour Foreshore walk and provides quality open space to an inner city precinct, a key goal of our Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan.
Plan of Management
On 10 August 2009 Council adopted the Former Water Police Site Park Plan of Management with some amendments.
The amendments relate to dog management, non –motorised watercraft, event management, clarification of text, and inclusion of additional information to support the directions of the Plan of Management.
Download
- Endorsed Master Plan | PDF 318Kb
Project completion
Kiosk, canopy & public facilities
Building works complete and Kiosk is open.
Current Works Include
- Umbrellas to sandpit - completion end March 2010.
Previous Archives
For More Information
Senior Project Manager
Rob Serventi
Tel: 02 9246 7571
Design Manager
Stephen Merchant
Tel: 02 9246 7551
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