Penrith Beach opens following world-class rehabilitation of Western Sydney Lakes

Penrith Beach has today opened at Western Sydney Lakes, signalling a new chapter for the site which has seen extensive regeneration in recent decades. Penrith Lakes Development Corporation, made up of shareholders Boral, Hanson, and Holcim, has been instrumental in rehabilitating the site and is heralding an exciting next phase for the Lakes. 

Western Sydney Lakes has a rich history. For thousands of years, the Nepean River and surrounding waterways were an important place for the Darug people. It was later used as a European settlement, and in more modern times for agriculture and quarrying, as a venue for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, a community meeting space, and a sporting venue for rowing, kayaking and regattas.

From the late 1800s until 2015, what is now known as the Western Sydney Lakes Castlereagh site was a quarry, operated by Boral, Holcim, and Hanson, that supported Sydney’s housing and infrastructure projects for generations. 

In 1987, Penrith Lakes Development Corporation signed a deed of agreement with the NSW Government which, among other things, enabled quarry operations on site and the construction of flood mitigation weirs together with the quarry rehabilitation which is now largely completed, transforming the site into a major parkland and lake system with future urban areas.

Penrith Lakes Development Corporation closed the quarry in 2015, and since then has carried out extensive work to regenerate the landscape and rehabilitate ecosystems and biodiversity. What has been achieved is world-class quarrying rehabilitation: and together they form a recreational lake system backed by a vision to go beyond what is currently there, transforming the site into a leisure lifestyle, business, and recreation destination. 

The opening of Penrith Beach, the next stage of the Lakes’ lifecycle, is the first step in realising the vision for Western Sydney Lakes. 

Western Sydney Lakes Board Chair, Phil Schacht said opening the gates of the Lakes to the community for the summer was an exciting milestone, but that it is just the start. 

“The Board of Penrith Lakes Development Corporation has worked tirelessly to regenerate the Western Sydney Lakes site, and the opening of Penrith Beach today, in partnership with the NSW Government. It signals the first step in a new chapter for the Lakes,” he said. 

“In 2022, we unveiled our vision to transform the Lakes from a former quarry to a major urban landform, including waterfront uses that deliver new opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy recreational and water-based activities right in the beating heartland of Western Sydney. We are looking forward to what is over the horizon.”

Penrith Beach opened to the public on Tuesday, 19 December 2023 and will be open daily until early-March 2024.