Shannons Paddock Draft Landscape Masterplan

The upgraded playground is expected to be completed in the 2024-25 financial year, with other items outlined in the masterplan delivered as funding becomes available.

Updated in Feb 2024

Due to funding restrictions, only a portion of the district playground will be delivered in Stage 1 works. It is proposed the playground will be expanded over time (including the toilet facility) as additional funding becomes available.

Shannons Paddock is located adjacent the Westmead Innovation District, which is identified in Council’s Community Infrastructure Strategy (CIS) as one of the LGAs High Growth Precincts. The population of Westmead is expected to increase by 125% over the next 20 years, from 10,325 in 2021 to 23,220 by 2041 (forecast.id.com.au). The Landscape Masterplan will become a key document to guide future upgrades of Shannons Paddock to ensure a high quality open space, which meets the needs of the evolving community.

The playground upgrade will meet a key outcome within the CIS by increasing play opportunities for the community living in surrounding high density residential developments. It will also meet objectives identified in the 2020 Centres Review by providing opportunities for increased activation and visitation to the Wentworthville Shops Neighbourhood Centre.

Shannons Paddock is a highly modified landscape in a densely populated area. The draft landscape masterplan provides a number of positive environmental outcomes (including creation of habitat and water treatment) through the proposed naturalisation of Finlaysons Creek, wetland, and native vegetation planting. 

Improvement of pedestrian and cycleway facilities will also encourage non-vehicular modes of transport.

Proposed works include:

• Pedestrian paths and cycleway.
• Park lighting on main cycleway and pedestrian links.
• A new district level playground including public toilet (refer to detail concept plan).
• Gathering and picnicking spaces including tables, BBQs and shelters.
• Park seating.
• Bridges to improve accessibility and permeability.
• Entry wall on Darcy Road frontage.
• Outdoor exercise equipment/ fitness stations on marked circuit path.
• Open lawn and kick-about areas (the site is too small for a formal sports field).
• Tree and native vegetation planting.
• Naturalisation of Finlayons Creek including wetland and water treatment (subject to further design, approvals and Sydney Water asset renewal program).
• Improved intersection at Darcy Road and Briens Road to provide better connection between Shannons Paddock and Milsons Park (subject to further design and traffic approvals).

Proposed works include:

• Pedestrian path and pavement.
• New playground equipment including:
• Nature play area comprised of cubby houses, balance obstacles, imaginative play elements, natural logs, and sandstone blocks.
• Triple swing with basket swing, regular swing and infant swing.
• Play tower to reference historical brick, tile and ceramics factory.
• Suspension bridge connection to secondary softfall mound with integrated slide.
• Large rope climbing frame with slide.
• In-ground trampolines.
• Softfall safety surfaces of wetpour rubber and natural mulch.
• Gathering and picnicking space including tables, bins, drinking fountain and shelters.
• Bench seating.
• Garden bed planting.

A landscape masterplan is a formally approved document that outlines the long-term vision for the development of an open space area. It aims at ensuring the site meets the needs of the community now and into the future.

Landscape masterplans are typically delivered over a number of years as funding becomes available.

The draft landscape masterplan seeks to expand and improve park facilities to accommodate our City’s growing population. A key proposal is to upgrade the existing playground within Shannons Paddock from a 'local' to 'district' level facility, meaning an expansion in size and updates to the equipment.

The landscape masterplan also proposes the inclusion of a cycleway through the park (between Wentworth Avenue and Darcy Road) which will connect into wider cycleway networks.

An aquatic playground is not proposed in the Shannons Paddock landscape master plan as it does not align with Council’s Community Infrastructure Strategy (CIS).

The Shannons Paddock landscape master plan will guide works within the park for the next 5-15 years. The first of the improvements will be upgrading the current playground to a district-level play space, as well as some other minor park upgrades (such as additional seating and tree planting).

This first phase of improvements will be funded from Council’s Better Neighbourhood Program (BNP) and Ward Initiative Parramatta budget. Funding opportunities for future phases are yet to be identified, but may include Councils annual parks upgrade programs, or through developer contributions.

Yes. The Milson Park master plan project is a joint project between Sydney Water and the City of Parramatta that looks at an open space upgrade within the park to improve amenity and ecology alongside community vision and needs. However, the two parks are connected through their waterways and these two projects complement each other in creating a larger green space for Westmead.

Shannons Paddock is located on the boundaries of Westmead and Wentworthville. The park’s primary frontage is Darcy Road at the intersection of Briens Road, with entry points at Water Street, Reid Avenue and Lydbrook Street.

Shannons Paddock was named after the Shannons Brick, Tile and Pottery factory which operated between 1912 and 1982. The factory was located on the current residential development at 47 Wentworthville Avenue Westmead. The factory featured a 39.6 metre chimney which was a local landmark.

Shannons Paddock is primarily an open site covered in turf with a limited tree canopy. There is a small playground adjacent to Darcy Road, a pedestrian path connection between Darcy Road and Reid Avenue, and a small amount of park seating. The site is divided by a fenced concrete water channel which creates a significant barrier, and effectively cuts the park in-half.