Barangaroo station park

The landscape design at Barangaroo Station Park, including the station entrance, the Nawi Cove and Hickson Road public domain, with its stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour, has created an iconic and memorable station plaza and park that instils the site’s heritage and Indigenous culture through artwork and interpretation.

The station interface needed to be of remarkable contemporary design, respectful of the heritage fabric of the area and well-integrated with the existing public domain, including Nawi Cove and Barangaroo headland park.

The landscape architects and heritage consultants supported Sydney Metro through the multiple project interfaces and public domain design including parkland, streetscape, plazas, cycleways, urban, planting and the heritage and interpretation elements.

This was an opportunity to present the public domain as a locally distinct and representative cultural landscape, the product of numerous phases of land use. The collaborative project involved input from a wide range of consultants and experts to determine the best approach for preserving and sharing of valuable assets, including archaeological finds from the site.

Extensive research, consultation and collaboration with First Nations Knowledge Holders was conducted to ensure interpretation strategies adhered to the significant cultural heritage of the area. The team also collaborated with archaeologists to identify methods of integrating information, incorporating documentary research and graphic material to illustrate and express the historic significance of the site.

A Heritage Interpretation Plan for Sydney Metro was developed which identified key themes for interpretation at the Barangaroo Station site:
• Aboriginal Histories: sharing stories of Barangaroo the woman, Aboriginal fisherwomen, fishing practices and technologies.
• Maritime heritage: sharing the Barangaroo Boat discovery, boat construction and the development of the maritime industry at the site.
• The changing landscape: communicating the history of the natural environment before invasion.

A key feature of the park is the interpretive seating made from precast white concrete, seeded with oyster shells collected within the Sydney Basin, which celebrate the Nawi Cove’s traditional use by Gadigal peoples as a fishing ground. Writing on the seat welcomes visitors to Gadigal Country. Aboriginal history of the space is shared on signs which include narratives and detailed accounts of the fishing practices and the naming of Nawi Cove.

Landscaping and plant species choices are a key feature of the parklands. The park has created an accessible green space planted with 168 trees, ferns and shrubs, using mostly native species, to increase biodiversity in the urban environment. The lawn area naturally lends itself to be a meeting place, which the Barangaroo area has also come to be regarded by the Indigenous community. The curve to the back of the lawn references the shape of the barra hook whose form was carved from turban shell to effectively catch fish. Visitors feel a living connection to the Indigenous narrative within the space.

Barangaroo Boat Interpretation
Nearby lies a heritage boat paving inlay, which takes the shape of the Barangaroo Boat, discovered by on-site by archaeologists in 2018. Specialist analysis is underway to confirm when construction of the timber vessel occurred, likely dating to the 1820s or 1830s. Fabricated in cast iron, the boat artwork has been installed in the same location it was found on site.

The Changing Landscape
The landscape of the Barangaroo area has been altered dramatically through its maritime use, with mid 1800s land reclamations and an increase in maritime activities resulting in multiple human-altered shorelines onsite. Archaeologists also discovered the components of a seawall and foundations of the Cuthbert’s boatyards once found on site. Arcadia has designed a brass ground inlay which outlines the location of the seawall and shoreline in 1865.

Designed so that visitors feel a living connection to the Indigenous and colonial history, it has become a popular destination with its stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour, open lawn and 50m feature seat.

Barangaroo Station Park is a pivotal piece of landscape architecture that is both a place to visit and a stepping stone to other locations and attractions. Commuters and tourists now have easier access to the ever-growing Barangaroo precinct, the Wulugul /Barangaroo Foreshore Walk as well as the Headland Park and Hickson Road theatre district, which were previously challenging to reach via public transport. Placemaking elements designed into the park enhance the capability of staging events, such as Vivid Sydney and New Year’s Eve.