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Western Sydney Parklands

It’s western Sydney’s best kept secret… Did you know Sydney’s biggest backyard, Western Sydney Parklands, grows some of the freshest and most delicious produce in all of Sydney?

That’s right! We’ve got 100 hectares of urban farming country right in the heart of the Parklands at Horsley Park, growing everything from juicy, juicy strawberries to zucchinis, Lebanese cucumbers, snake beans, vine ripened cherry tomatoes, fresh Asian greens, sugar cane and beautiful cut flowers.

The farms are located in Horsley Park, adjacent to the M7 Motorway and The Horsley Drive. You will find farmgate stalls at Heng Fresh Farm, Sun's Fresh Farm and Lam's Farm Fresh - all on Ferrers Road.

Western Sydney’s rich farming history

Western Sydney has historically been the food bowl for greater Sydney. Up until the 1940s, agriculture and horticulture dominated the western Sydney landscape, including across large areas of what is now Western Sydney Parklands.

After World War Two, many Europeans from Italy, Greece, Malta and Lebanon migrated to Australia, and took up the opportunity of cheap land on Sydney’s expanding fringe. It was on these larger housing blocks that many migrants started market gardens as a way of earning a living.

Today, farming along Sydney’s urban fringe continues to be rich in diverse cultures. Our Parklands’ farmers bring their agricultural knowledge and experience from all over the world, including Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Lebanon, Malta and Congo. For generations, urban farming in the region has offered a pathway for new migrants to Australia, and continues to allow them to carry on family farming traditions and connect the community with fresh local produce. 

Vision for the future

Western Sydney Parklands is growing its urban farming precinct with the vision to one day turn the area into a bustling farm gate trail.

While the precinct is currently centred around Horsley Park, approximately 5% (264 hectares) of the entire Parklands has been set aside for farming.

The farms operate on leased land from the Parklands and grow all types of fruit and vegetables, herbs and flowers to sell to the community, supply cafes, restaurants and food trucks, local markets and Sydney Markets at Flemington.

Growing food closer to our cities means people have better access to fresh food and a better understanding of where our food comes from.

Looking ahead, our vision is for an expanded Farm Gate trail, allowing locals and visitors to buy fresh produce directly from local growers. People will be able to cycle or stroll to market gardens along a planned network of new paths and trails. We are also looking at the potential for a community farming hub and cafe.

Partnering with Fairfield City Council, we're doing preparation work in the urban farming precinct to allow for new tracks and street tree planting. The tracks will be adjacent to roads that connect into the existing Parklands walking and cycling network and the M7 shared path.

Want to know more?

The Horsley Park urban farming master plan is a planning framework to promote and provide guidance for agricultural activities and food production in Western Sydney Parklands.

Read the plan: Horsley Park Urban Farming Masterplan 2019

Contact us: [email protected]

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