Missing links – Gadigal Reserve & Parramatta Rd underpass

What have we completed in this area?

The upgrades to Gadigal Reserve in Summer Hill include:

• Creation of new 3.5m wide shared path
• Upgraded landscaping and ecological restoration
• Installation of new bat-friendly smart path lights
• New nature play area
• Installation of public artworks
• Installation of rest stop
• Wayfinding signage
• New shared path bridge across Hawthorne Canal
• New tunnel under Longport Street
• Microbat protective tunnel design 

Images

Artist impression - Gadigal Reserve nature play area:

Artist impression - Longport Street tunnel and bat screen, looking south from Gadigal Reserve towards Longport Street:

Artist impression - Cantilevered path under Parramatta Road and along Hawthorne Canal:

Progress on the bat-friendly tunnel under Longport Street, connecting Gadigal Reserve with Lewisham West:

Progress on the elevated pathway under heritage Whipple truss bridge, looking south from the new tunnel under Longport Street:

Progress on the raised shared path from the new nature play area to the Longport Street tunnel; this includes a new bridge over the canal:

Concrete path near the nature play area:

Progress on the nature play area; this is a part of the artwork, Ngaraora, by Jasmine Sarin:

The cantilevered shared path over the Hawthorne Canal is progressing well. The contactor has to work with the tides and water levels within the canal:

Under the Battle Bridge, Parramatta Road; removing a redundant pipe to create the required head height:

Connection from cantilevered path to Gadigal Reserve:

Delivery of reinforced steel for the piles that support the shared boardwalk:

Footbridge over Hawthorne Canal is being lifted to allow for construction site access through the canal from Marion Street, Leichhardt. The footbridge has been upgraded and restored, and is now open to the public again. 

Gadigal Reserve construction fencing has been installed for safe construction; ecological and bush care areas are fenced off from the construction site with dust and site run-off mitigation measures in place:

What have we completed in this area?

The upgrades in the Lewisham West area between Longport Street and Old Canterbury Road include:

• A new path, parklands and natural areas in the light rail corridor near Lewisham West
• New in-corridor shared path next to the light rail
• Installation of new path lights
• Installation of public art
• Installation of rest stop
• Landscaping and ecological restoration
• New dog off-leash area and wetland
• New traffic signals at Old Canterbury Road with pedestrian/cyclist crossing
• Weston Street closed for motorised traffic from Old Canterbury Road, accessible for pedestrians and cyclists only
• Wayfinding signage 

Images

Artist impression - Lewisham West, looking north towards Longport Street tunnel:

Artist impression - corner Edward Street and Old Canterbury Road:

Traffic intersection works at the corner of Edward Street, Old Canterbury Road and Weston Street, where traffic lights will be installed and a cul-de-sac created:

The method for the new tunnel construction under Longport Street is a 'canopy tube' method, whereby 19 tubes are drilled in horizontally to form an arch shaped 'canopy'. Now that the arch-canopy is formed, the tunnel is carefully excavated in small increments, each time stabilised by a steel arch. The half-way point was reached on 10 February 2025. The tunnel breakthrough took place on 10 March 2025. 

Tunnel progress with the microbat screen and painting completed:

Brickwork detail on the Longport Street tunnel: 

The old rail tracks are retained, integrated in the landscaping, and some will form part of a public artwork:

The concrete shared path has been poured:

Stormwater improvement works in the area are underway:

The steel shapes that support the canopy arch of the tunnel structure:

The steel tubes used to form the canopy arch:

Raised path link to the light rail station:

Link to Old Canterbury Road:

The new dog park, east of the Lewisham West light rail, is complete and the opening event took place on 7 December 2024:

The new wetland bioretention area, east of the Lewisham West light rail is completed. This area is for stormwater management and habitat creation only, and not accessible to the public:

Temporary watermain diversion works to allow for tunnelling works for the new tunnel under Longport Street:

New fencing separating the light rail from the future GreenWay path has been installed: