Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne
One of the most significant urban wetland restorations in Sydney's history will officially open to the public this Sunday 12 July, as Inner West Council celebrates the completion of the Gumbramorra Wetlands Re-Creation Project.
The landmark project has transformed part of Mackey Park in Marrickville into a thriving wetland ecosystem, returning an ancient landscape that was lost to industrial development more than a century ago. It has created a lasting legacy of environmental restoration, flood resilience and land reconciliation.
Once a sprawling network of wetlands and waterways connected to the Cooks River catchment, Gumbramorra Wetlands was a defining feature of the local landscape.
At its height, the wetlands extended across the low-lying areas of present-day Marrickville, Sydenham, Tempe and St Peters, forming one of the most significant wetland systems in central Sydney.
Wetlands can play a vital role in urban areas. They help mitigate flood risk, filter water and support native wildlife.
Unfortunately, decades of colonisation and industrialisation of Marrickville from the late 1800s led to the site being drained a filled, destroying one of the area’s most significant natural ecosystems.
The completed Gumbramorra Re-creation Project features open water ponds, marsh and reed beds, saltmarsh plantings, expanded raingardens and extensive native vegetation. The restored wetland helps capture, slow and filter stormwater before it enters local waterways, reducing flooding impacts at Mackey Park and simultaneously improving water quality and supporting biodiversity.
Importantly, the restoration of Gumbramorra Wetlands also serves to acknowledge the cultural significance of a landscape that sustained Aboriginal communities for tens of thousands of years before it was destroyed. Central to the project is the Reconciliation Walk, which weaves through the restored wetland and features cultural artworks, interpretive signage and storytelling elements that celebrate the enduring connection Aboriginal people have with Gumbramorra.
The $1.2 million project is jointly funded by Inner West Council and the NSW Government.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said the project demonstrates how environmental restoration can deliver practical benefits for the community while acknowledging the cultural significance of place.
“This is one of the most ambitious environmental restoration projects undertaken in the Inner West in recent years. It is a project that looks to the future while recognising the history of this landscape and the people who have cared for it for millennia.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have such a culturally significant and ecologically important place within our community. This project celebrates the rich history of Gumbramorra while ensuring future generations can experience, learn from and connect with this extraordinary landscape.” Mr Byrne said.
NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“We’re proud to be investing $639,000 in the restoration of Gumbramorra Wetlands through our Metropolitan Greenspace Program, matched dollar for dollar by Inner West Council.”
“Projects like this show how investment in the blue-green grid and our open space network can restore natural ecosystems, reduce flood risk and give communities a place to connect with Country and each other,” Mr Scully said.
Member for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen said:
“The restoration of the Gumbramorra Wetlands is a win for the Inner West.
“It will boost local biodiversity, honour the cultural significance of this landscape, and help reduce flooding impacts on Mackey Park’s sporting grounds creating a space that can be enjoyed by all the community for years to come.”
The community is invited to attend a free opening celebration as part of Council’s NAIDOC Week program.
- Date: Sunday 12 July 2026
- Time: 10am to 12pm
- Location: Mackey Park, Marrickville
For media enquiries please contact Hillary Shephard, hillary.shephard@innerwest.nsw.gov.au