The Merrylands lifestyle precinct in Parramatta's growing Olympic Peninsula corridor

Already the area has seen a dramatic change with the redevelopment of Parramatta Square which saw the heart of Parramatta revitalised as part of one of the largest urban renewal projects in the country
The Merrylands lifestyle precinct in Parramatta's growing Olympic Peninsula corridor
Mason & Main in Sydney's Merrylands. Image supplied
Alison Warters September 20, 2022

Buyers at Coronation Property's Merrylands project, Mason & Main, are set to benefit from a huge pipeline of infrastructure due to the project's location in the heart of the 6000-hectare Greater Parramatta to Olympic Peninsula (GPOP) corridor.

Mason & Main, designed by Woods Bagot, will be its own mini-community with apartments set above vibrant market-style laneways with retail and dining, is set just south of Parramatta in Merrylands, which has transformed into a gentrified hotspot that is appealing both investors and owner-occupiers due to a mix of strong population growth an extensive infrastructure upgrades around Sydney’s west.

Mason & Main offers one, two and three-bedroom apartment configurations across five buildings, as well as resort-style amenities including a pool, private gym and rooftop gardens and a vibrant ‘Eat Street’, creating a new destination for the suburb.

There’s some $20 billion of investment and infrastructure planned over the next five years in the GPOP, fast emerging as the heart of Greater Sydney’s Central City. Merrylands has seen significant investment, with the Cumberland City Council announcing in 2021 the creation of a new civic square in the heart of the suburb.

The $11 million project currently under construction will provide an integrated residential, retail, commercial and commuter hub to Merrylands and will be conveniently located within 50 metres of Mason & Main.

Already Sydney’s western hub has seen a dramatic change with the redevelopment of Parramatta Square which saw the heart of Parramatta revitalised as part of one of the largest urban renewal projects in the country.

The $2.7 billion redevelopment included six new buildings, premium office space, a refurbished town hall, multi-level retail, with the site linked by 6000 sqm of public space.

Bringing Parramatta Quay to life is Charles Street Square

The ferry terminal at Charles Street is the gateway to the Parramatta CBD for those who travel by boat, by foot or by bike along the river, in what will be known in the near future as, Parramatta Quay.

The area is also a place of cultural and geographical significance, as the fresh water of the upper Parramatta meets the saltwater of the lower reaches, connecting Sydney to Parramatta River.

The completed escarpment boardwalk provides connection from one side of the river to the other, with the pedestrian and cycle friendly thoroughfare extending under the MacArthur Street Bridge, joining to Parramatta River Cycle way, providing more than 100 kilometres of walking and cycling paths, extending all the way to Sydney Olympic Park.

The Parramatta Ferry terminal upgrade is complete and once the Charles Street Square upgrade is finished the area will become a confluence of leisure activity, cafe culture and transportation hub celebrating one of the City's special waterway experiences welcoming tens of thousands of visitors and commuters each year.

Construction of the Charles Street Square upgrade is slated to be complete by the end of 2022 or early 2023.

The Sydney Metro West project is also underway, with the new underground metro railway set to connect the Parramatta and Sydney CBDs. The NSW Government committed $6.4 billion over four years to the project, which will achieve a travel time of 20 minutes, as well as unlocking housing supply and employment growth between the two CBDs.

With trains, buses and ferries connecting the Parramatta CBD with Sydney and the wider metropolitan area, the council also runs a free shuttle bus around the Parramatta CBD for those wanting to stay close by.

Further connection will be provided through the development of the Parramatta Light Rail. Stage One of the project will run 12 kilometres, connecting Parramatta CBD to Westmead and Carlingford. Stage One will be operational in 2023. 

The Parramatta CBD is also well-connected to major arterials, including the M4 Motorway, Great Western Highway, Windsor Road, Pennant Hills Road and James Ruse Drive. 

A new Museum of Arts and Applied Sciences will open on the river foreshore in Parramatta in 2025 as the new centre of arts, culture and innovation. It will include the newly relocated Powerhouse Museum and a revamped Riverside Theatres.

Further boosting the areas growth is the soon to be developed Western Sydney Aerotropolis, which is set to give Western Sydney residents a more convenient option for travel and boost overall population growth.

Sydney’s new airport is set to open to international, domestic and freight flights in 2026, providing much-needed aviation capacity for the entire Sydney region.

Designed to grow in stages and over decades, the Airport will eventually become one of the biggest gateways to Australia and the primary airport for the entire Sydney region. Qantas Group and Virgin Australia Group have signed MOUs with the Airport and have already commenced discussions about the design of the Airport and potential routes and services. 

With the Westmead precinct Australia’s largest health and biomedical research precinct, the site is also undergoing revision with four hospitals, two universities, two large research institutes, NSW’s largest pathology service, and many allied health centres currently occupying the space.

With NSW Health, the City of Parramatta Council jointly commissioned the Westmead Innovation District Master Plan project.  The project includes aspirational targets for jobs and tertiary students, driven by the significant government investment planned for the area. 



Alison Warters

Alison Warters is a property journalist for Urban, based in Sydney. Alison is especially interested in the evolution of the New Build/Development space, when it comes to design innovation and sustainability.

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