Sydney Park

Ever wondered what lies beneath the rolling hills of Sydney Park? This seemingly tranquil oasis harbors a vibrant and layered past. Sydney Park, a sprawling 40-hectare green space, wasn’t always a place for leisurely strolls and kite-flying. It began as a kangaroo hunting ground for the Gadigal and Wangal peoples. Imagine their presence here, long before European settlement transformed the landscape. In 1796, the land was granted to Elizabeth Needham, a First Fleet convict turned successful businesswoman. This remarkable woman, rumored to be the daughter of a royal coachman, received this 40-acre grant after completing her sentence for stealing silk stockings. She later owned the Wheatsheaf Inn and a warehouse on Castlereagh Street, a far cry from her convict beginnings. The land then passed through several hands, including John and Gregory Blaxland, and eventually to Daniel Cooper in 1822. Sydney Park then became part of the vast Waterloo Estate. The rich clay deposits beneath the surface soon attracted brickmakers. In 1887, Josiah Gentle established the Bedford Brick Works, named after his English hometown. The area became a hive of industrial activity, with deep clay pits and roaring kilns shaping the landscape. Gentle’s business thrived, thanks to his investment in modern machinery. His sons continued the operation after his death in 1912. Austral Brick Company later took over in 1936, operating until 1970. Interestingly, several Aboriginal workers from the Port Macquarie area were employed at these brickworks, adding another layer to the park’s multicultural story. But the industrial chapter wasn’t over. In 1948, those very brick pits were repurposed into a municipal waste depot, known by various names – St Peters tip, Campbell Road Disposal Depot, and Alexandria Tip, among others. For years, household rubbish filled the void left by the clay. Finally, in 1976, the tip closed. The area underwent a dramatic transformation, covered with soil and rubble, and Sydney Park began to emerge. Now, as you walk through Sydney Park, its hills offer panoramic views of the city. The wetlands, created from former stormwater detention ponds, echo the area’s marshy past. And those prominent brick kilns and chimneys? They stand as silent witnesses to Sydney Park’s industrial heritage, a testament to its journey from a kangaroo ground to brick pits to the vibrant green space we enjoy today.