PROJECTS   >   uRBAN DESIGN

Greening the Great West Walk

Location: Western Sydney
Client: NSW Department of Planning
Project Dates: 2020

The Great West Walk is a 65 km urban track that stretches from Parramatta Park to the base of the Blue Mountains on the lands of the Darug nation. The walk is located on lands in Parramatta, Blacktown and Penrith Local Government areas, and on land managed by Western Sydney Parklands Trust, Parramatta Park Trust and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Gallagher Studio was commissioned by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to identify and prioritise potential tree planting locations along the Great West Walk as part of NSW Government’s commitment to increase urban tree canopy and green cover in Greater Sydney.

The Great West Walk’s environmental, climatic, and social conditions were examined in detail through a combination of mapping, site analysis, and consultation. From this process the team developed robust criteria to guide the selection of tree planting locations on the Great West Walk. 15 projects on public lands were developed that could provide the most environmental and social benefits to local communities.