Strathfield Council has delivered a significant upgrade to the forecourt at Homebush Station in Sydney’s Inner West, transforming an underutilised space into a welcoming and functional community plaza.
The project is part of the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program (PRUAIP), a $198 million NSW Department of Planning and Environment program supporting 32 projects to revitalise key precincts from Camperdown to Granville.
Previously the Homebush Station forecourt on Loftus Crescent was narrow and dominated by a school bus stop, creating a bottleneck for commuters. Recognising the opportunity to rethink this space, Council relocated the bus stop and repurposed the forecourt as a multi-functional gathering space.
The redevelopment includes new street furniture and bicycle parking to enhance comfort and promote active transport, with trees and planting to soften the space, public artwork, lighting, new pavement, wider footpaths and cycleway markings.
To support local students who use the space while waiting for school buses, Council installed ChillOUT Trees by Street Furniture Australia to provide shade.
“Our goal was to create a social space where students could wait comfortably before catching their buses. The redesigned plaza has been well received, it’s become a natural gathering place, and we’ve experienced minimal issues with vandalism,” says Ben Michel, Landscape Architect at Strathfield Council.
“The overlapping ChillOUT Trees together provide great coverage from sun and rain,” he adds.
Landscape architects selected the colour palette for the ChillOUT Trees and Curved Linea Seats and Benches to reflect the heritage character of the station.
“Given Homebush Station is heritage listed, it was important for the street furniture to be sympathetic to the site’s character. We chose Pioneer Red as a feature colour, with Textura Jasper as a secondary, muted tone.”
Council also opted for Wood Without Worry battens in Spotted Gum for easy maintenance and a long-lasting finish.
At the heart of the plaza sits a mirrored sculpture inspired by the fine grains of local Sydney sandstone. Designed by Warren Langley and Tilt, in collaboration with First Nations artist Dennis Golding, the sculpture is illuminated at night, bringing vibrancy and a sense of place.
“It’s a fantastic art piece at the centre of the site. We’ve seen at night time quite a lot of people sitting around the artwork and moving through the space,” Ben says.
Before and after: Council transforms the Homebush Railway Station Forecourt Domain into a safe, accessible, and attractive meeting place – encouraging more people to walk, cycle and take public transport.
