Wentworth Park, home to greyhound racing in Sydney since 1932, will be transformed into open green space and multipurpose sporting fields for the community following the NSW Government’s decision to not extend the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association’s lease, which expires in September 2027.

The 14-hectare Wentworth Park site, located just 1.5km from Sydney’s CBD in a prime inner-city area, will remain in public ownership and redeveloped to meet the housing and recreational needs of the growing Ultimo-Pyrmont precinct. The Government’s plans will also unlock 7,300 new homes around the site, balancing the delivery of much-needed housing close to public transport, jobs and education, alongside long-term community benefits.

Delivering new housing in a well-connected precinct

Central to the proposal is the transformation of the 3.3-hectare Wentworth Park Sporting Complex into community sporting facilities and parklands. This change will enable the rezoning of surrounding land to support up to 2,500 additional homes. Combined with 4,800 homes already planned or approved nearby – including around 2,000 homes on the former Sydney Fish Market and neighbouring sites – the broader precinct could accommodate as many as 7,300 new dwellings.

“We recognise Wentworth Park holds deep history and meaning for many people, and we know some will be disappointed by this change. But cities change and we have a responsibility to plan for the future,” says New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.

“Right in the middle of Sydney and connected by rail, light rail, ferries and the future Metro, our plan for the future of Wentworth Park will deliver much-needed new housing while also providing up to 20 new community sporting fields. This is more homes, more playing fields and better public spaces, alongside the infrastructure that makes neighbourhoods work. This is how we build a fairer and more balanced Sydney,” he explains.

The Government will work closely with the City of Sydney to progress the rezoning in a timely manner and will pursue a State-led rezoning if necessary to avoid delays.

Connectivity has been highlighted as a key strength of the precinct, which is located alongside major transport links, including a new ferry stop at Sydney Fish Markets, an upgraded light rail station at Wentworth Park, a continuous 15km coastal boardwalk linking Blackwattle Bay to Woolloomooloo, and the future Pyrmont Metro station, scheduled to open in 2032.

"Wentworth Park has a long and proud history, and today we’re securing its future for the next generation. This plan keeps land in public hands and delivers new homes, new sporting facilities and new open space for a community that is growing fast,” notes Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully. “We have a responsibility to make sure people can live near the jobs, education and transport they rely on.”

Wentworth Park - City of Sydney (1).jpg — *A community vision for Wentworth Park (Source: City of Sydney)*

Opposition to greyhound racing

For a long time, the City of Sydney has opposed greyhound racing, advocating the return of Wentworth Park to the community as public open space after the expiry of the lease, not only to meet the open space requirements of the adopted Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy and support the additional residential and commercial uses planned for the area but also citing animal welfare concerns. The City’s plans to replace the racing track with public parkland and outdoor recreational facilities received overwhelming support from the community.

“With plans to increase housing, particularly around Blackwattle Bay, Pyrmont and Ultimo, we cannot expect people to thrive in higher densities without improved public amenity, including access to adequate parkland and recreational space,” the Lord Mayor Clover Moore had noted at a council meeting in March 2024.

New homes and new green spaces

Greyhound racing will cease at Wentworth Park when the current lease expires in September 2027. Following demolition of existing facilities, the land will be transferred to the City of Sydney for conversion into community sports fields. The expanded 14-hectare park will be available for festivals and community events, ensuring broader public access to the harbourside space.

The Government has also identified Mirvac as the preferred tenderer for the redevelopment of the old Sydney Fish Market site, where 1400 homes including 580 student housing units will be constructed with work expected to commence in early 2027.

Transitioning greyhound racing to alternative racetracks

The NSW Government will allocate $10 million to the Greyhound Capital Grants Program for upgrading alternative racetracks to required standards to support the transition of greyhound racing from Wentworth Park.

“Greyhound racing is a valuable contributor to regional communities supporting thousands of jobs. While the curtain may be closing for greyhound racing at Wentworth Park, we will work with the industry to improve other tracks and ensure the sport safely continues into the future,” says Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris.

Observing that the Government has been working towards greater utilisation and community activation of Wentworth Park, Minister for Lands and Property and Sport Steve Kamper observes, “We are delivering the final piece of the Blackwattle Bay puzzle. Not only are we unlocking thousands of homes and much needed community sporting facilities, we are laying the groundwork and ensuring we have the community infrastructure to deliver a vibrant precinct for everyone.”

The redevelopment of Wentworth Park represents a long-term investment in housing supply, open space and shared community infrastructure, designed to serve future generations in one of Sydney’s fastest-growing inner-city areas.

Main image: Wentworth Park (https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks/wentworth-park)

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