Final Report
Multi-use Recreational
Pathway Concept
11. Blacktown Creek and Tributaries
11.1. Description
◦ The main creek corridor runs from McCoy Park at the junction of
Greystanes Creek, Blacktown Creek and Toongabbie Creek to McCoy
Street (Parramatta / Blacktown Council boundary) and then to south of
the Western Freeway near Watch House Road
◦ Two tributaries were identified and investigated:
∙ Boyd Street Tributary, which runs from the main creek to Boyd Street
reserve, east of the Blacktown CBD
∙ McCoy Street Tributary, which runs from Blacktown Creek at McCoy Park
to the Toongabbie local shopping centre at the intersection of Best Road
and Mackenzie Boulevard.
11.2. Network Significance (creek, pathway, environment)
The pathways in the Blacktown Creek corridor partly form the spine access
network and partly provide local and regional access:
Spine Access Network
◦ Blacktown Creek - McCoy Park to Boyd Street Tributary
◦ Boyd Street Tributary – main creek to Seven Hills Road
Local and Regional Access Routes
◦ Blacktown Creek – Boyd Street Tributary to Western Freeway
◦ McCoy Street Tributary
11.3. Environment Management
There is remnant bushland on Blacktown Creek near the Great Western
Highway. There is no need for any pathways to access this area.
11.4. Land Tenure
There are several options for the location of pathways between International
Park in Blacktown, Seven Hills Station and Greystanes Creek. In the Upper
Parramatta River catchment, the general preference is for the development
of routes within the creek corridors rather than on-road or in other corridors.
Blacktown Council is considering the development of a route along the road
network south of the railway. There are also opportunities for routes within
the rail corridor. All options require some negotiation with land owners.
The development of pathways in the Creek corridor would require detailed
investigations about the Transfield site adjacent to Powers Road.
Negotiations with SRA may be required in all cases, possibly for widening of
the pathway to the south of the multi-storey carpark at Seven Hills Station
(creek corridor option) or for a pathway in sections of their easement south
of the railway adjacent to the Boomerang Place carpark and from Abigail
Street to Cecelia Street.
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Pathway Concept
Negotiations with SRA may also be required for use of their land between
the main southern arm of Blacktown Creek at Endeavour Street and Seven
Hills station.
11.5. Other Issues
No other issues were identified.
11.6. Pathway Opportunities
Blacktown Creek
◦ Through McCoy Park there is some evidence of existing walking
tracks, but these they lead up a steep hill to the sports ground, which
would be difficult to negotiate for cyclists and walkers. It would be
better to select a new route that more closely follows the creek line,
which would require little or no grade change. There appears to be a
wetland area here and there may be environmental sensitivities.
Flooding may also be an issue.
Blacktown Creek, McCoy Park
Blacktown Creek, east of Station
Road
◦ From the western perimeter of McCoy Park to Station Road the creek
runs through a concrete lined canal some 10m wide with 3m high
angled concrete edges. There is dense vegetation growth within the
canal, particularly reeds. Property boundaries on both sides
immediately adjoin the top of the canal wall. Several small business
operate close to the edge of the canal on the southern side. On the
northern side, Transfield appear to own a large industrial warehouse
site and may be prepared to negotiate about a pathway within their
property. Further investigation is required about land tenure and site
conditions.
◦ A high quality crossing facility would be required at Station Road, due
its high relatively high volumes and speeds. It may be possible to use
the culverts under Station Road, but water flows appear to be
permanent with potentially high and frequent inundations.
Blacktown Creek, Transfield site
◦ From Station Road to Powers Road, there is little or no access to the
northern bank. The southern bank is generally wide, with high levels
of maintenance, possibly in relation to a high security fence to the
adjoining property of Cerebos (Australia) Ltd. It appears they may be
sensitive to increased usage levels of the creek corridor adjacent to
their property. Close to the Powers Road bridge over the creek, the
bank width narrows considerably and widening or boardwalks would
be required to accommodate a pathway.
Blacktown Creek, Cerebos site
◦ Between Powers Road and Seven Hills Station, there is an existing
multi-use pathway.
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◦ At Seven Hills Station, there appear to be several opportunities to
cross the Prospect Highway:
Blacktown Creek, culverts at
Seven Hills Station
∙ Use the culverts. Further investigation is required. Refer Action items at
the end of this document.
∙ Use the bridge. While it would require only minor works to extend the
pathway and create some high quality road and ramp crossings, it would
involve an unpopular detour, which few users would appreciate.
∙ On-road in Terminus Road. Even though Terminus Road provides a slow
speed environment, the dense traffic conditions and complex movements
in the area make it an unsuitable environment for many user groups.
∙ Create a detour around the eastern perimeter of the multi-storey carpark,
widen the footway between the carpark and the railway and utilise the
existing facilities west of the station access ramp. The intensive usage
levels in this area need to be considered. Further investigation is required
in terms of land tenure and land availability, particularly if a narrow section
of railway land is to be used.
Blacktown Creek, existing bridge
at Seven Hills Station
Blacktown Creek, route option east
of multi- storey carpark
◦ As an alternative to a link in or near the creek corridor between McCoy
Park and Seven Hills Station, it may be more appropriate to consider
a link along the southern alignment of the railway, using a combination
of on road and of-road facilities. While the general preference for
pathway within the Upper Parramatta River catchment is for a route
within the actual creek corridors, this alternative route would be closer
to the residential community, which is a significant advantage in terms
of access and supervision (the creek corridor is industrial and
inaccessible). Council’s current plans pre ›fer this general location,
which includes the following alignment (from east to west):
Opportunity for alternate route
south of railway
∙ Link with existing Greystanes Creek trail at the intersection of Junia
Avenue and Portico Parade.
∙ Use southern perimeter of railway easement to Abigail Street, which
requires discussions with SRA. Alternatively an on or off-road facility
could be considered along Portico Parade with high quality crossing
facilities of side streets, but this would be a lower standard facility that may
not be easily used by all age groups and could be cumbersome for
commuters. Council’s plans favour the on-road option.
∙ Best Road Park to eastern edge of Boomerang Street car park, upgrading
a short section of narrow pathway with a poor surface.
∙ Rail corridor along the car park.
∙ On-street adjacent to the station, using a high quality road crossing facility
of Boomerang Street at both side of the station.
∙ Widened shared path on the western off-ramp of to the Prospect Highway
at the railway overbridge.
∙ Pathway on the western side of the railway overbridge.
Boomerang Street carpark
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Pathway Concept
Blacktown Creek, railway culverts
at the softball fields
Blacktown Creek, south of
Bungarribee Road
∙ Improved link from the railway overbridge to the existing pathway along
Blacktown Creek with a high quality road crossing facility over Terminus
Road.
∙ Between the Seven Hills station and the creek junction near the softball
field, there is an existing multi-use pathway, which continues into the Boyd
Street Reserve tributary (refer following pages). Crossing the creek and
the railway is a key issue and requires a significant bdge over the creek,
while it may be possible to adjust culverts under the railway. Refer Action
items at the end of this document. If this is possible, the crossing facility
here may provide a more attractive option for crossing the railway instead
of the railway bridge of the Prospect Highway at Seven Hills station. The
pathway could be placed within the rail corridor between the creek and the
station. Further investigation is required of this crossing facility and the
availability of railway land.
◦ The main stream of Blacktown Creek continues south across Wall
Park Avenue, Blacktown Road, Bungarribee Road, Lancelot Street,
the Great Western Highway and the Western Freeway. Generally, the
reservation provides grassed areas that are of ample width for tracks
on either side of the creek. Between Bungarribee Road and Lancelot
Street the creek runs through a shallow concrete swale drain with
small amounts of water. While there currently is some cycling and
pedestrian traffic using the swale drains, the do not provide a high
quality pathway and it would be appropriate to provide a separate
pathway specifically designed for cycling. High quality, at-grade road
crossings are required, including upgrading of some existing facilities.
There are a few short sections of generally narrow pathway, which
would need to be upgraded:
∙ Endeavour Street to Wall Park Avenue
∙ St Martins Crescent to Cavendish Avenue
∙ Through the reserve on Lancelot Street (this reserve appears to have
recently been re-established including potentially environmentally
significant wetlands)
Blacktown Creek, swale drains
looking south towards Lancelot St
Blacktown Creek, Lancelot Street
Park
◦ Adjacent to Desley Crescent, immediately north of the Great Western
Highway the creek appears to follow a more natural alignment,
adjacent to an environmentally significant bushland area. It may be
inappropriate to extend the pathway beyond this point, especially
given the limited extent of urban development south of the Highway.
Access to the Boral site is probably more appropriate via Greystanes
Creek as described below.
Blacktown Creek, Myrtle Street
Reserve
◦ It was not possible to investigate pathway opportunities south of
Desley Crescent.
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Boyd Street Tributary
◦ There is an existing pathway on the northern side of the creek, which
continues from the pathway along the main creek that starts at Seven
Hills station through to Boyd Street. Some sections of the pathway
are not well defined such as near the softball fields. Improved
signposting is required as well as some surface improvements.
Boyd Street Tributary, existing
pathway south of softball fields
◦ The pathway finishes at the car park of the aquatic centre and
resumes in Boyd Street, with an off-road shared pathway along the
eastern / southern berm of Boyd Street and Devitt Street. The onroad mixed traffic arrangement in the car park is not ideal and it may
be possible to create a pathway behind the aquatic centre and
between the railway and the substation, which would require
negotiations with the electricity provider and the State Rail.
◦ Council is currently considering crossing facilities over the railway and
into the Blacktown CBD, including footpath widening along Sunnyholt
Road.
Boyd Street Tributary, pathway
opportunity at substation
McCoy Street Tributary
◦ The McCoy Street tributary is a minor waterway only, which was dry at
the time of inspection. It largely follows the power lines. There is an
existing footbridge over the railway along McCoy Street. The reserve
between Ross Street and McCoy Street almost links to Best Road,
except for short section immediately adjacent to Best Road, which
appears to be in private ownership, although it is not built on.
McCoy Street Tributary, MacCoy
Park
McCoy Street Tributary, railway
bridge
McCoy Street Tributary, south of
Best Road
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