Mayor Ruddock shares what’s happening across Hornsby Shire.
Update on Major Projects
The Hornsby Park project’s first stages are set to be revealed early next year.
latest housing update
Housing target of 5,500 new dwellings for Hornsby Shire.
westleigh park NEWS
Funding pulled by state government.
Mind the Map
Discover the sights and sounds within walking distance of Hornsby station.
Enjoy the winter sunshine at the new Children’s Forest at Fagan Park. 10
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06 12 13
Blue Gum High Forest
Learn about magnificent Blue Gum High Forest right on your doorstep.
Discover your Latest Playgrounds
waste and recycling news
Say ‘no’ to plastics this July.
Your Councillors
Get in touch with your Councillors.
Hornsby Shire Council
Message Mayor’s
WELCOME TO ‘OUR COUNCIL’, OUR QUARTERLY PUBLICATION, BRINGING YOU NEWS OF WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS HORNSBY SHIRE.
A warm welcome to the fourth edition of Our Council, where you can gain insight into some of the projects and initiatives being delivered in the Hornsby Shire.
In our last edition, I outlined how we have been advocating for you to the NSW Government around their housing reforms. Since then, we have learned that the target set for Hornsby Shire is 5,500 new dwellings. I am pleased to say that because of Council’s proactive and innovative planning, we are already on the front foot to reach its target through the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan and our Local Housing Strategy.
I want to assure you, that as we plan for additional housing opportunities, we will continue to ensure that this is responsive to the environmental constraints of our Shire, our character and the expectations of our community.
We engaged with the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon Paul Scully, who acknowledged our special characteristics which include heritage, flooding and bushfire management. You can read more about our response to the NSW housing targets on page six.
It is essential that the provision of new housing is supported by the coordinated delivery of crucial infrastructure for our growing community. So, we were shocked and angry to receive news from the state government that they will no longer fund the development of much needed sporting facilities at Westleigh Park.
“ IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE PROVISION OF NEW HOUSING IS SUPPORTED BY THE COORDINATED DELIVERY OF CRUCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR GROWING COMMUNITY
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Work has been underway on this development for over five years, with millions of dollars already outlaid, and thousands of hours devoted to providing our residents with vital sporting facilities.
Construction is due to commence later this year (subject to DA approval).
Council has regularly updated the state government about progress and followed due diligence in meeting all our agreed milestones, so my fellow Councillors and I are struggling to understand the reasons behind this inexplicable decision.
As explained above, we have cooperated with the state government by accepting additional housing targets above what we already planned for in our Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan. The additional housing targets come with the promise of funds for infrastructure, so to take away this already allocated money is ridiculous. You can read more about this important issue on page seven.
Philip Ruddock AO Mayor, Hornsby Shire Council
Update on
major projects
THE HORNSBY PARK PROJECT GATHERS PACE
Our ambitious project to build a major recreation destination at the site of the former quarry in Hornsby is gaining momentum. Recent works on the quarry void, including the construction of walls, paving of roads, and drainage, have taken us ever closer to having a stabilised site on which to realise our vision, outlined in the Hornsby Park Master Plan.
The Hornsby Park project will be delivered in stages, and while the finished development is some years away, work has recently commenced on the area around the iconic Crusher Plant building on Quarry Road.
Scheduled to officially open in early 2025, this area will be a new destination for Hornsby Shire residents to gather and have picnics or barbeques, play games on the lawns, and enjoy the striking views of the quarry void and impressive volcanic diatreme from the new, accessible, Southern Lookout.
Visitors will also have access to two more new lookouts via upgraded bushwalking tracks and trails.
HORNSBY PARK’S UNIQUE AND FASCINATING HISTORY
The site for this major project has had a unique and varied history, making it the scene for many fascinating stories dating back millions of years.
From the formation of the volcanic diatreme in prehistoric times, being cared for by First Nations people and becoming a home to new European settlers, to being an active quarry and even the location for radio astronomy, this special place has seen it all.
In 2002, Council was legally obliged to buy the site from CSR Limited, when we began the process of transforming it into somewhere we can all enjoy. After years of preparation, planning and hard work, we are excited to start welcoming people with our first attractions available to the community next year.
FIND OUT MORE
For more information about the redevelopment of Hornsby Park, scan the QR code or visit: hornsbypark.com.au
Councillors visit the Crusher Plant
Aerial view of the quarry
Hornsby Shire Council
HISTORY TIMELINE HORNSBY SHIRE COUNCIL REDEVELOPMENT
JURASSIC PERIOD
Diatreme formation
65,000+ YEARS
Aboriginal Custodianship
1820–1900
European occupation – orchard and homes on the land
1900–1955
Radio astronomy on the land
1905–EARLY 2000S
Quarry operation, mining breccia hard rock from the site – processed into road base used throughout Sydney
2002
Council was legally obliged to buy the Quarry from CSR Limited
2003–2013
Special Rate Variation and Planning
2012
Mountain bike trails open
2014
Recreational study to review recreational possibilities for the land
2016
Community Deliberative Forum to commence planning for the future ‘parkland’
2016–2019
Quarry filling - 1.2 million cubic metres of fill from NorthConnex, the equivalent of 450 Olympic swimming pools
2019–2020
Environmental Impact Statement and Development Application (plus consent) for civil works (planning and design)
Commenced works on vegetation management to restore appropriate vegetation to the site
2021
Masterplan adopted and on-site works commence
2022–2024
On-site works continue on the quarry void. Works commence on the area around the Crusher Plant, Western Lookout and Heritage Steps
2025
Official opening of Crusher Plant and lookouts
mind the gap
10 mins
starting at Hornsby Library
1. Hornsby Self-guided Heritage Walk...
Hornsby
walking times from hornsby station
20 mins
5. Rosemead Road picnic area with access to...
HOUSING UPDATE
HOUSING TARGET FOR NEW DWELLINGS
In early June, the NSW Government announced a housing target of 5,500 new dwellings for Hornsby Shire. And thanks to sound and proactive planning, we are on the front foot to reach our target, which is necessary to address housing supply and affordability issues.
Adopted in 2023, our Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan demonstrates our most recent pledge to the provision of housing, identifying opportunities for over 4,900 new dwellings. And our commitment to delivering a diverse range of housing is outlined in our adopted Local Housing Strategy, which was prepared after extensive consultation with our community and includes other initiatives such as identifying opportunities for medium density housing.
We are mindful that planning for additional housing opportunities should be responsive to the environmental constraints of our Shire, our character and the expectations of our community. And so, we engaged with the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon Paul Scully, who acknowledged our special characteristics which include heritage, flooding and bushfire management.
It is important that the provision of new housing is supported by the coordinated delivery of essential infrastructure to ensure the current and future community experiences a liveable and sustainable environment. We will therefore continue to lobby the NSW Government to return funding to the Westleigh Park project to provide essential sportsgrounds to the area.
While our planning provides a framework to facilitate housing provision, the construction of housing is undertaken by the development industry. Current market conditions, including construction costs, interest rates and labour shortages are constraints to housing provision that are beyond our control.
Our target will only be achieved through collaboration by all levels of government, key agencies, development industry and our community to best plan for housing into the future.
Hornsby train station
Hornsby Shire Council
westleigh park update on
HORNSBY SHIRE SUFFERS DEVASTATING SETBACK TO THE WESTLEIGH PARK PROJECT
Council was shocked and disappointed to learn that state government funding for a much-needed recreational precinct at Westleigh Park, incorporating new sports facilities, will be taken back even though work on the project has been underway for a number of years.
Simply put, it is the local community that will miss out. Hornsby Shire is in desperate need of recreational spaces and new sports facilities. The NSW Government’s housing targets makes this need even more critical.
There is an acknowledged shortage of sportsgrounds in the Shire and in the entire northern region of Sydney. The Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils’ ‘Review of Supply and Demand for Sports Facilities in the NSROC Region’ identified a there will be shortfall of 34 grounds by 2026 in Hornsby Shire alone.
The site for Westleigh Park comprises around 36 hectares of open space and bushland. The redevelopment will create a major parkland with spaces for play, sporting activities including football, athletics, rugby, AFL and cricket, and other recreational activities such as mountain biking, walking and cycling.
We are now faced with a major dilemma as a development application has been lodged and pending approval, construction to commence the transformation of Westleigh Park was expected to start in late 2024 (subject to DA approval).
The previous State Government gave $90m to Hornsby Council as compensation for the loss of a large part of the southern territory of the Shire to the City of Parramatta during the council amalgamations, specifying the funds were to be used for the development of Hornsby Park and Westleigh Park.
Council is deeply disappointed by this decision as a significant amount of planning, design and financial support that extends beyond the state government funding, has been invested into the project with notable progress and momentum to date.
The residents of Hornsby Shire deserve better. The residents of the entire northern region of Sydney deserve better. Without these facilities our community will suffer declining physical and mental health.
HELP SAVE OUR SPORT
If you feel strongly about this disappointing loss of vital infrastructure, we urge you to pledge your support to having this money reinstated. To find out how, scan the QR code or visit hornsby.nsw.gov.au/soswestleigh
high forest blue gum
LET’S ALL
#SAYHIGHFOREST
The critically endangered Blue Gum High Forest is truly one of our Shire’s natural gems. Dead straight, Sydney Blue Gums (Eucalyptus saligna) tower up to 50 metres high and have smooth blueish-grey trunks and signature brown bark ‘socks’. They can often be found nestled among giant, luminescent, green fernery and other majestic, forest species.
Blue Gum High Forest grows in 14 suburbs within Hornsby Shire.
JURASSIC PARK ON YOUR DOORSTEP
Hornsby Shire contains 40% of the world’s Blue Gum High Forest! Yet, within some of our patches grows an even rarer sub-type of Blue Gum High Forest called ‘Blue Gum Diatreme Forest’. This 14 hectare sub-forest community of outstanding majesty is so rare it can only be found in Hornsby Valley and nearby Fox Valley with the most majestic example found at Dog Pound Creek Bushland Reserve, Westleigh. This sub-forest gets its name because it occurs on soils formed from eroding diatremes, volcanic pipes of magma that forced their way to the surface some 200 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
SO RARE
Only 5% of original Blue Gum High Forest remains and this kind of ecological community is very likely to vanish. Blue Gums have specific soil and rainfall requirements to support their straight and tall growth, limiting where they can grow. The forest’s survival is overwhelmingly dependent on Hornsby Shire and its people.
HOME TO WILDLIFE
Blue Gum High Forest is more than a ‘stand’ of majestic trees, it is a unique and complex ecosystem. Some of the forest’s inhabitants are currently threatened with extinction. Hollows in the tallest Sydney Blue Gums play a vital role to help wildlife, like the threatened powerful owl and the glossy black-cockatoo, survive.
Photo by Magdalena Aleksandrowicz
Hornsby Shire
THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED BLUE GUM HIGH FOREST IS TRULY ONE OF OUR SHIRE’S NATURAL GEMS
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Photo by Magdalena Aleksandrowicz
Plant some of the forest’s native species.
Come along to a community planting event and/or join a Bushcare group.
Remove weeds from your garden as they can spread into bushland.
Avoid throwing weeds, grass clippings and non-native plants over your fence, especially if you back onto bushland.
Never mow into native forest grasses or understory.
Ensure cats stay inside at night.
Keep dogs on leashes when in bushland.
Never use second generation rodent poisons, as they can also kill the native, endangered wildlife which feed on poisoned mice and rats.
Avoid cutting down Blue Gums whenever possible, especially mature, standing trees (alive or dead) containing hollows. Some endangered wildlife require large hollows that usually form in trees over 150 years old.
Never dump construction materials or rubbish in bushland.
FIND OUT MORE
To find out where you can visit Blue Gum High Forest in our Shire, or to learn more about how you can protect it, scan the QR code or visit: hornsby.nsw.gov.au/bluegum
Tawny frogmouth – photo by Matt Horspool
ENJOY THE WINTER SUNSHINE lifestyle
DISCOVER HORNSBY SHIRE’S LATEST PLAYGROUNDS
We are delighted to share an update on two fantastic new playgrounds for our community. The Children’s Forest in Fagan Park, Galston is now open, offering a play space amongst trees and nature, and the eagerly anticipated Wollundry Park Playground upgrade in Pennant Hills is making great progress since falling victim to an unfortunate act of vandalism.
FAGAN PARK CHILDREN’S FOREST
Opened in April, the Children’s Forest offers an immersive experience for kids designed to connect them with nature and spark their curiosity for trees and the natural world. As only the second of its kind in Australia, the Children’s Forest is an exciting new addition to our Shire’s beloved Fagan Park.
Featuring educational discovery pods, timber animal interactions, an outdoor learning space, Yarning Circle and a pond with stepping stones, along with grassed picnic areas and accessible pathways, the Children’s Forest provides an educational model showcasing the value of trees and was designed in close consultation with schools in the surrounding area.
The Children’s Forest can be accessed via a new path from the existing playground, near the main entrance of Fagan Park.
Fagan Park Children’s Forest
Fagan Park Children’s Forest
Hornsby Shire Council
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SHARE AN UPDATE ON TWO FANTASTIC NEW PLAYGROUNDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
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WOLLUNDRY PARK PLAYGROUND
In late 2023, Wollundry Park Playground in Pennant Hills, was damaged by vandalism, resulting in some equipment being unusable. Seeing this as an opportunity for improvement, we decided to bring forward the planned upgrade. We invited the community to vote for their preferred of two options developed for the upgrade. Almost 500 votes were received during the consultation period and in response to community feedback, changes were made to create the final design.
The upgraded playground will have a nursery rhyme theme with bright, colourful equipment, complemented by a ‘natural’ colour palette for the taller structures. A feature play tower will increase the play options for older kids, including monkey bars. Additionally, the shelter will be relocated to expand the play area, allowing for more equipment to be added within the fenced area.
Construction works are scheduled to commence shortly and be completed later this year. Thank you for your patience as we work to create a new park for the whole community to enjoy.
DID YOU KNOW?
To ensure sports grounds were ready for the winter season, 37 venues were mown, 55 pairs of goal posts were installed and over 50km of line marking was laid across the Shire.
To learn more about sports and recreation in Hornsby Shire, scan the QR code or visit: hornsby.nsw.gov.au/playgrounds
Wollundry Park Playground artist’s impression
Wollundry Park Playground artist’s impression
RECYCLING NEWS Waste and
PLASTIC FREE JULY
Cooler weather means that Plastic Free July® is nearly upon us! As a Council Member of this global initiative, our Waste team is engaging with our community to reduce unnecessary plastic use.
WHAT COUNCIL IS DOING
Supporting plastic free events with our Single Use Plastics Policy.
Hosting community workshops focused on waste reduction.
Promoting and providing reusable items at pop-up stalls, events and workshops.
Supporting local schools and community groups to reduce waste with education sessions and advice.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Avoid one (or all) of the ‘big 4’ unnecessary plastic items: plastic bags, plastic straws, disposable coffee cups and plastic bottles.
Build a ‘BYO kit’ with a reusable cup, cutlery, and container near your front door, ready to go for any outing.
Choose unpackaged produce and store them in reusable produce bags.
Dine or drink in at your local café, rather than choosing takeaway.
FIND OUT MORE
To learn more, scan the QR code or visit hornsby.nsw.gov.au/waste
COUNCILLORS
The Honourable Philip Ruddock AO (02) 9847 6666 pruddock@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Council recognises the Traditional Owners of the lands of Hornsby Shire, the Dharug and GuriNgai peoples, and pays respect to their Ancestors and Elders past and present and to their Heritage.
We acknowledge and uphold their intrinsic connections and continuing relationships to Country.
GET IN TOUCH
‘Our Council’ is a Hornsby Shire Council publication. Send us your feedback or suggestions for stories to: media@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Subscribe to our free monthly eNews: hornsby.nsw.gov.au/enews
CONTACT DETAILS
Hornsby Shire Council
PO Box 37, Hornsby NSW 1630
Phone: 9847 6666
Fax: (02) 9847 6999
Email: hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au
Customer service (telephone and online) hours: 8.30am–5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) In person: Customer Enquiries counter is located inside Hornsby Library, 28-44 George Street, Hornsby hornsby.nsw.gov.au
This publication is printed on Supreme Uncoated Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper using vegetable oil based inks and an alcohol-free ISO 14001 certified printing process.
