In 2005, the NSW Government decided to develop surplus publicly owned land to help fund the development of the Western Sydney Parklands.

Working with our partner the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and Blacktown City Council we created a masterplan with focus on environmental sustainability and community outcomes that also honoured the complex site history. The masterplan was informed by an ideas competition in 2005.

Some of our environmental and social sustainability initiatives at Bungarribee were ahead of their time and actively supported by Blacktown City Council. These and other initiatives continue to enable the environmentally aware and diverse, connected and proud community at Bungarribee.

Our goal was to achieve an inclusive community of new and existing nearby residents at Bungarribee. Honouring history through new community facilities like the new Community Hub was essential to this. Together with Council we used the design and construction of the Hub as an opportunity to engage the local community.

The Community Hub is today managed by Blacktown City Council. It includes art from local Aboriginal artists and school children and a community garden, and is the focal point for the local and wider community.

Public art and sculptures reinforce the history of Bungarribee and help to anchor the community’s connection with its authentic sense of place.

The development of Bungarribee follows a unique masterplan and street design designed to naturally link this new suburb with the surrounding bushland.

We incorporated vegetated ‘eco-medians’ or water treatment rain gardens to filter stormwater throughout the development.  Innovative at the time, these rain gardens are now in wide use.

Increased planting of roadside trees to create street boulevards and help cool homes, and requirements for water tanks and solar power for all homes, whilst commonplace today, are innovative sustainability initiatives achieved at Bungarribee.

Our rehabilitation of Bungarribee Creek to protect endangered ecological communities also supported a green employment initiative. These and other initiatives continue to enable today’s environmentally aware, connected and proud community at Bungarribee.