Set on the banks of the Parramatta River, Homebush Bay combines urban appeal with natural beauty. The neighbourhood is just west of the Sydney CBD and has been home to the indigenous Wann Clan for millennia. Work up a sweat at world-class sporting facilities, discover one of Sydney’s most beautiful public parks and get lost in an intertidal mangrove forest.
Things to do in Homebush Bay
Built for the 2000 Summer Games, Sydney Olympic Park is one of Australia’s top sporting facilities. As well as Olympic-sized aquatic and athletic centres, the sprawling 430-hectare park now features modern apartments, office buildings and entertainment districts like the Abattoir Heritage Precinct. The heritage-listed Newington Armory has been reimagined as a vibrant arts precinct with a theatre, gallery, studios and riverside café.
Over the decades, Homebush Bay has earned a reputation as a shipwreck graveyard. The bay is dotted with the wrecks of historic ships like World War II supply ship SS Ayrfield, which has grown into an artificial island covered with lush mangroves. You’ll also spot the hulls of the SS Heroic steamboat and HMAS Karangi boom defence vessel.
Bicentennial Park occupies 40 hectares on the southern banks of Homebush Bay. Stroll along the scenic walking trails, enjoy a BBQ on the grass and admire public art installations. Wooden boardwalks wind through the sun-dappled Badu Mangroves and offer a chance to spot rare wildlife like white-naped honeyeaters and short-beaked echidnas.
Getting around Homebush Bay
Homebush Bay is located on the Parramatta River, a 30-minute drive from Sydney’s Central Business District. Parking is available or you can take advantage of easy public transport links, including Olympic Park Station on the T7 Line. Bikes are available to rent in Bicentennial Park and are a great way to explore Homebush Bay. Ferries run between Sydney Olympic Park Ferry Wharf and Circular Quay.