Hornsby Quarry

Dramatic new parklands in the heart of a quarry

The draft master plan for Hornsby Park reveals a striking 59 Ha public park with a former quarry at its heart. Barely a stone’s throw from the Hornsby CBD, the park has been designed by Landscape Architects CLOUSTON Associates in concert with Hornsby Shire Council, making the most of the site’s unique landscape, topography and heritage.

Within the former quarry void, the draft master plan proposes a dramatic lift and a sweeping raised walkway leading visitors to a large open parkland landscape with a freshwater lake, all framed by the quarry walls . The parkland also includes a wetlands cascade, water play and a visitor facilities building.

There has been commitment from the outset to retain the ‘quarry-ness’ of the site. The intent is to harness the drama and scale of the park whilst conserving and extending its extensive bushland setting and the rich, millenia-long story that it reveals.

The dramatic quarry walls and the lake take centre stage. We’ve maximised views and lookouts through carefully curated pathways and vistas, with visitor experiences ranging from adventure recreation to social spaces and quiet areas for connection with nature. It has required a careful balance of promise and reveal.

The draft master plan retains a clear distinction between the parts of the quarry that have remained largely undisturbed since quarrying finished, and those new works necessary to facilitate safe visitor access and experiences. with the park making access to the Berowra Valley National Park much easier

CLOUSTON have recently been awarded the contact to develop their Hornsby Quarry masterplan into a detailed design.