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Ballast Point Park

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority / Birchgrove, Sydney, Australia

This multi award winning 2.5ha post industrial waterfront park is located on a remediated lubricant production site on the Birchgrove Peninsula in the inner reaches of Sydney harbour. The site’s richly layered history included occupation by indigenous people, construction of the ’Menevia’ marine villa in the 1860’s, quarry use for ship ballast and finally petroleum distillation by Caltex from the 1920’s until 2002.

As lead consultant, McGregor Coxall undertook project management, design development, construction documentation and administered the construction contract for the client. This project’s design is driven by a strong environmental agenda where recycled materials are used site wide. Wind turbine generators reflect a movement away from fossil fuels and an integrated stormwater management and recycle system ensures that all stormwater entering Sydney Harbour from the site has been cleaned and polished prior to its discharge.

Site Area

 2.5 ha

Services
  • Brownfields
  • Contaminated Sites
  • Environmental Footprinting
  • Furniture and Signage
  • Heritage
  • Industrial
  • Landscape Master Plan
  • Open Space
  • Public Art
  • Recreation
  • Waterfront
  • Water Sensitive Urban Design [WSUD]

Collaborators
  • WT Partnership
  • HydroPlan
  • Lighting Art+Science
  • Deuce Design
  • Northrop Engineers
  • CHROFI
Black-and-white portrait of Philip Coxall, an older man with curly, white hair and a beard. He is wearing a long-sleeved, black shirt and is looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is plain and light colored.
Talk to Philip Coxall about Ballast Point Park
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Aerial view of Ballast Point Park with various pathways, green spaces, and circular areas. Several structures are scattered throughout the park, and a section of the surrounding urban area is visible on the left side. The park is enclosed by a perimeter wall.
An outdoor area at Ballast Point Park features a large weathered Texaco CA-LIFE star logo embedded in the ground at the forefront. A tree stands nearby, and in the background, industrial structures and a bridge stretch under a clear blue sky.
Aerial view of Ballast Point Park featuring a winding path, grassy areas, and a few scattered trees. People are walking, sitting, and enjoying the scenic seaside. A ferryboat is cruising on the blue water beside the park, leaving a white trail.
A scenic view overlooking Ballast Point Park at sunrise or sunset. The sky displays soft pastel hues, with city buildings and a bridge in the distant background. The park includes a blend of green lawns, stone pathways, and a partially blurred vessel on the water.
A wide shot of a rocky cliff at Ballast Point Park with a gravel walkway winding up its side. The cliff features a range of earthy colors from yellow to brown. The foreground has a lush green lawn with young, sparse trees, and the background shows a clear blue sky.
Two people are standing on top of a large rocky structure in Ballast Point Park, adjacent to a massive wall composed of small, uniformly arranged stones. The clear blue sky contrasts with the vibrant colors of the rock and stone wall.
A modern concrete staircase rises against a tall, weathered concrete wall in Ballast Point Park, leading to an upper level with a metal roof structure. Below the stairs, manicured lawns and newly planted trees are set against a natural rock face under a clear blue sky.
Visitors walk around the Westpac War Memorial on top of Mt. Coot-tha in Brisbane, reminiscent of Ballast Point Park. The memorial features towering steel structures, a circular arrangement partially inscribed with text, and offers scenic views of the surrounding landscape. Shadows of the structure fall on the ground.
The image shows three rusted, cylindrical tanks elevated on concrete supports, set in an industrial landscape with a clear blue sky. Some crumbling brick walls and steps are in the foreground, alongside sparse vegetation, suggesting an abandoned site, reminiscent of Ballast Point Park.
A circular kinetic light sculpture with spinning blades stands against a twilight sky in Ballast Point Park. The structure has multiple rows and appears to be in motion, creating a dynamic and captivating visual. The sun is setting in the background, casting a warm glow over the park.
A serene park landscape with a grassy area, young trees, and winding pathways. To the right, there is a unique wall structure with large white diagonal art and a pond. In the background, there are rocky ledges and a metal walkway with text, surrounded by lush greenery at Ballast Point Park.
Ballast Point Park features circular flower beds with metal borders, sparse trees, and tall grass. A rock wall is on the right side, and the backdrop includes a river and distant buildings under a partly cloudy sky.
A stone staircase leads down to a sandy open space with a couple of benches and scattered trees. It is next to a body of water at Ballast Point. Rocky structures and buildings are in the background under a clear, blue sky.
A view of a bridge framed by tall, textured concrete walls in Ballast Point Park. Between the walls, there's a body of water with a boat and part of a railing in the foreground. The sky is clear and blue.
A concrete staircase with multiple levels leads up to a higher platform in Ballast Point Park. The walls are made of plain concrete, and large rocks are embedded in the ground near the stairs. A small green plant grows at the base of one of the stairs.
Two juxtaposed images of Ballast Point Park's coastal fort: the left shows tall concrete walls with the sea beyond, while the right highlights another section of these weathered walls with surrounding vegetation. Paths can be seen leading through the structures in both images.
Aerial view of a lush, green peninsula extending into a body of water, surrounded by sailboats and yachts. The shoreline is dotted with parks like Ballast Point Park and residential areas, while a cityscape with tall buildings and bridges is visible in the background under a clear sky.
A detailed infographic displays various sustainable design elements found at Ballast Point Park, including concrete, retaining walls, timber, biodiversity, site mulch, and energy. Each component lists its composition, such as recycled materials, and environmental outcomes like CO2 savings and energy savings.
Two juxtaposed images of Ballast Point Park's coastal fort: the left shows tall concrete walls with the sea beyond, while the right highlights another section of these weathered walls with surrounding vegetation. Paths can be seen leading through the structures in both images.
Split image: left side shows a park bench next to a tree, backed by a rock-filled wire retaining wall under a clear sky in Ballast Point Park; right side shows a different angle of the same type of wall stretching towards a body of water, with city buildings visible in the distance.
A split image: the left side shows a shaded bench area at Ballast Point Park, overlooking a bay with a view of a bridge. The right side displays an artistic structure with metal and glass panels, set against an industrial backdrop featuring large pipes and urban buildings.
Left: Aerial view of a concrete structure with exposed rebar, showing stairs leading down to a waterside area at Ballast Point Park. Right: Close-up of a metal pitcher embedded among rocks held together with metal wire mesh.
Split image. Left shows a path with rocky walls and a railing overlooking water at Ballast Point Park. Right shows a stone wall with metal lamps and adjacent steps, leading upwards against a blue sky.
Split image: Left side shows sun shining through tree and shadows of tall fence onto the road, with city skyline visible in the distance. Right side displays a curved stone structure at Ballast Point Park, on a grassy area overlooking a large body of water with a bridge and city buildings in the background.
Aerial view of a coastal fortress at Ballast Point Park, with stone walls extending into the water. The structure features multiple levels with trees and pathways. Visitors are dispersed throughout the grounds. The surrounding water is calm, and the sky is clear.

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Other News

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The Inner West Blue-Green Grid Strategy picks up PIA Commendation

November 15, 2024 Awards
McGregor Coxall is delighted to announce that the Inner West Council’s Blue-Green Grid Strategy has received a commendation at the Planning Institute of Australia NSW Awards. This forward-thinking project addresses the expected population growth and infrastructure challenges in the Inner West over the next 20 years. The strategy focuses...
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Leader of the PAC – pool’s bold design the envy of the world

November 11, 2024 Awards Media
Parramatta Aquatic Centre (PAC) is the talk of the architectural world both globally and locally with the City’s iconic pool winning three prestigious awards in just three days last week. PAC claimed the title of Best Completed Building – Sport at the World Architecture Festival, fending off challenges from...
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Parramatta Aquatic Centre Wins World Architecture Prize

November 7, 2024 Awards
In positive news overnight, The Parramatta Aquatic and Leisure Centre by Andrew Burges Architects & Grimshaw with McGregor Coxall for the City of Parramatta has been awarded at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore. Winning the the Completed Building – Sports category in Day 1 of the annual “Olympics...
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Project Groundwater Summit Unites Experts to Advance Community Flood Resilience

November 7, 2024 General
The McGregor Coxall UK team recently attended the Project Groundwater Annual Summit where they led an insightful participatory design exercise for the delegate workshop. Project Groundwater is a six-year Defra-funded programme aimed at transforming how communities in high-risk flood areas of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs prepare for...
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Michael Cowdy joins High Streets Panel at London Build 2024

November 6, 2024 Event
What does the future hold for the UK High Street? Michael Cowdy, McGregor Coxall UK Founding Director and New London Architecture High Streets Expert Panellist, takes the stage alongside industry leaders to explore the next chapter for the UK high street at London Build Expo later this month. From...
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Karl Langer winner Clare Mayberry to present “Returning Country”

October 30, 2024 Event
As the 2021 Karl Langer winner and University Medallist, Clare’s Landscape Architecture Honours project ‘Returning Country’ focussed on the repatriation of Australian First Nations Ancestral remains, and considered a design proposition for the National Resting Place in Kamberri, Canberra, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. The work culminated in her integral...
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McGregor Coxall Joins LLDC Framework to Shape Future Design for Olympic Park Site

October 16, 2024 New Project
We’re proud to announce that Mcgregor Coxall has been appointed to the newly launched London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) Landscape and Public Realm Framework (Lot 2 Design Services). We are joined by a talented, multidisciplinary group of consultants undertaking research, studies, landscape and public realm design in the area,...
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Parramatta Aquatic Centre makes a splash on the world stage

October 16, 2024 Awards
The already highly awarded and widely recognised Parramatta Aquatic Centre is now receiving global recognition, having been shortlisted in two global award programs. Domestically recognised this year at the NSW AIA Architecture Awards with the prestigious Sulman Award for public architecture and the urban design category award, the project...
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Henderson Park official opening marks the completion of NINE by Mirvac

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The transformation of the former Channel Nine broadcast studios at Willoughby is now complete with the opening of Henderson Park, the centrepiece of 6,500 square meters of open green space. Named after Brian Henderson, Channel Nine newsreader for an outstanding 45 years, Henderson Park honours the legend of television...