The Ponds real estate

Our vision was to create a suburb designed around a unique water and parkland environment on Little Second Ponds Creek. We worked with Australand to develop the master plan that would set new standards in community and environmental sustainability in greenfield residential developments. Blacktown City Council also helped us to make The Ponds a flagship project for NSW.

The Ponds exemplifies our approach to creating a place for people by integrating environmental sustainability, water sensitive design, community development and public art initiatives.

From 2007 our Welcome Program supported initiatives to create community connection, diversity and belonging at The Ponds.

Our masterplan addressed the future community’s requirements for community infrastructure, education and retail facilities. Infrastructure delivered at the Ponds includes:

• Three bridges on Stanhope Parkway, Riverbank Drive and Greenway Parade and other major road links to connect the community to the wider region
• Jonas Bradley Oval and the Community Resource Hub
• Public artworks and installations to enhance interpretation of the beautiful natural environment
• Primary, high and special-needs schools
• Lake Neighbourhood Retail Centre delivered through our partner, Australand.

The Ponds showcases our approach to environmental sustainability. After more than 150 years of agricultural use and clearing, our planting strategy has revived bushland and treated salinity through a partnership between Greening Australia and Australand to provide practical training for young people.

The masterplan created green connections to the waterway edges and ecological zones with parks and pathways to connect The Ponds to adjoining suburbs. Water sensitive urban design has been implemented to manage water quality and flow, enhance water conservation and minimise pollution.

The Ponds was the first greenfield project in the Blacktown Solar Cities Program and new homes are subject to energy efficient requirements including recycled water for toilets and gardens, and solar panels and gas-boosted solar hot water systems. The sustainability guide we developed is an educational tool to encourage sustainable practices.

Our Public Art strategy at The Ponds supports understanding of the environment, community connection and place. The works created by a diverse group of artists are an unforgettable feature and provide a unique experience of being at The Ponds. The seventeen artworks and installations are located at entry points, along the creek line, and throughout neighbourhood parks and the parklands. They include a 200-metre-long mural commissioned from a team of local artists and The Gathering by Aunty Edna Watson and Graham Chalcroft, which complements a playground adjoining the regional cycleway.