Features of Urban Parklands

Centennial Park is a world-class example of an urban parkland, located just over 4 kilometres from the Central Business District of the city of Sydney, and covering an area of 189 hectares (1.89 square kilometres). Thousands of people visit the park every week to enjoy various activities, including walking, running, cycling, picnicking, dog-walking, bird watching, horse riding, playing in playgrounds, playing sport on playing fields, visiting cafes, attending weddings and other celebrations, and attending major events such as outdoor cinema and festivals. 

[Image: Horse riding at Centennial Park]
 

Prior to 1788, and the European colonisation of the location now known as Sydney, the area of Centennial Park was an important meeting place and a source of fresh water and food for the Gadigal people and Bidiagal people. Following colonisation, traditional custodianship of the area was disrupted. The area was known as ‘Sydney Common’ and it was used for grazing livestock and as a source of drinking water for the colony of Sydney. Livestock and human activities polluted the natural water source until it became too polluted to drink and it ceased to function as a water supply in 1886.

In the late 1870s, people lobbied for the area to be turned into a public park. In 1888, a century after the European colonisation of Sydney, it was declared a ‘People’s Park’ and named ‘Centennial Park’, and it became the focus of Centenary celebrations. The park was opened by the New South Wales Premier, Sir Henry Parkes. 

[Image: Illustration of the opening of Centennial Park in 1888]

The original vision was to create a European-style park with ornamental gates, plantations, lakes, fountains, grass meadows, and areas for sport. Dams that had been built to prevent flooding in the area eventually became the ponds that are still an important feature of the park today.

Even in the early days of the park, there were disagreements between people about the design and features of the park, with some preferring to preserve the existing native plants, and others arguing in favour of more formal plantings of introduced species. These days, management of the park includes planting native plant species to provide food and habitat for local wildlife. 

[Image: Trees in Centennial Park]

The landscape of Centennial Park has changed over its history, with some periods of time when the park was neglected and in disrepair, to the current situation where the park is an example of a well-managed urban parkland that is a popular place for members of the local community and visitors to Sydney. Sustainable environmental management of Centennial Park is vital for making sure the park meets the needs of the present and ensuring it is maintained for future generations to enjoy.  

Centennial Park is managed by Greater Sydney Parklands, which is a New South Wales State Government agency, and management is overseen by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust. The park is located within the local government area of Randwick City Council.  

The natural environment in Centennial Park provides water, food and shelter for a wide range of native animals, including birds, frogs, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates, eels and other fish, possums, and a large colony of flying foxes. This is important in an increasingly populated area with limited vegetation to support wildlife. It also presents challenges as areas of Centennial Park support large populations of wildlife that are competing for limited resources. For example, the abundant birdlife in the ponds compete for food and nesting sites. 

[Image: Flying foxes in tree in Centennial Park]

Centennial Park provides a beautiful location for human recreation which is important for health and community cohesion. Some of the challenges in managing human use of the park include waste management (rubbish and sewerage) and the maintenance of sporting fields, playgrounds, roads and pathways. Another important consideration is the safety of the large, established trees in the park. Opinions sometimes differ regarding the removal of large trees, for example if a tree dies or poses a safety risk, and whether trees should be replaced with native tree species. 

[Cycling in Centennial Park]

Throughout its history, Centennial Park has faced extreme weather events, including droughts and floods. Managing the park’s resilience in extreme weather includes planting vegetation that is drought tolerant and stormwater management to slow the flow of water through the park and remove rubbish and filter out pollutants. Recycled stormwater and bore water (water that is pumped from underground) is used to water the public gardens and sports fields, but most of the grass, trees and other plants in the park rely on natural rainfall.