Tench Reserve – Nepean River Parklands

Tench Reserve, a treasured community park on the banks of the Nepean River in Western Sydney has reopened to the public, following a major $13 million revamp. Designed by CONTEXT, under the NSW Government’s ambitious and innovative Parks for People program, the redeveloped park has community wellbeing and nature conservation at its heart.

A narrow and undulating 10 hectare site, constrained on each side by the river, a motorway and housing developments, the new park encompasses a range of upgrades designed to stand the test of time.

Stage 1 interventions completed in February 2023, focussed on the riverside precinct, with improvements to community facilities, including the addition of a Changing Places amenity by Hill Thalis Architecture, accessible picnic areas and seating, inclusive play spaces, new pathways, native planting, and a public art installation by Cave Urban. The second and final stage has focussed on the wharf recreation precinct, seeing the addition of activated hubs on the riverbank including an amphitheatre that will be used for community events.

Location:
Penrith, NSW
Client:
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (in collaboration with Penrith City Council)
Duration:
2020 – 2023
Value:
$13 million
Phase:
Concept to Construction

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Public Domain, Parks + open space, Tench Reserve, Landscape Architecture, deckchairs

Reflecting on the design process, CONTEXT Director, Hamish Dounan said the project team’s top priority was protecting the unique environment and scenic beauty, whilst creating new spaces for the community to come together.

“Our team worked with the NSW Government to consult industry and local experts on what design interventions would be suitable for this unique site. Engagement was carried out with the local community to ensure their ideas and feedback informed the concept and final design.”

Project partners for this work included JOC Consulting who led on community engagement, and Indigenous design and strategy studio, Balarinji who consulted with locally connected Aboriginal knowledge holders.

“Our engagement with the local Indigenous community foregrounded opportunities for how the design could deepen the park’s sense of place and provide an understanding of the Aboriginal cultural and spiritual context of the site”, said Dounan.

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Loved and much-used by the local community to cool off, have fun and exercise, the Nepean River is at the heart of the design. In line with the City of Penrith’s Nepean River Master Plan by Clouston Associates, the design for the park has sought to foster and support connections between the community and the water, with the team inspired by the unique river landscape – its fertile banks, floodplains and the flora and fauna these support.

Commenting on the outcome, Dounan praised the NSW Government.

“Collaborating with the state government on community-driven legacy projects like this, that will serve generations to come, is immensely rewarding. The NSW Government’s Parks for People Program is testament to the significance public open spaces play in all of our lives. We’re looking forward to delivering more projects within this initiative in the future.”

Tench Reserve joins CONTEXT’s growing portfolio of public park projects across NSW.

Tench Reserve has been featured in the following publications: Architecture AU, Landscape Australia, Architecture + Design and Outdoor Design Source.

Photography by Brett Boardman

Public Domain, Parks + open space, Tench Reserve, Landscape Architecture, aerial, lighting
Public Domain, Parks + open space, Tench Reserve, Landscape Architecture, aerial