Macquarie Park

Understand

The Macquarie region has a diverse mix of peoples, cultures and cityscapes and offers the curious traveller an opportunity to see a different side of Sydney. There are four main areas of Macquarie to explore. The first of these areas is the suburbs that sit along the northern edge of Parramatta River and include suburbs such as Hunters Hill and Woolwich. These suburbs are filled with 19th-century buildings overlooking the water and are home to some of the wealthiest people in Australia. There are also many parks and reserves in the area with views of the water and great picnic spots.

Further north of the river is an area famous for its diversity and great food. In the suburb of Eastwood in particular, you will find large numbers of wealthy East Asian families and international students who have come here for the schools and universities nearby. The Chinese and Korean restaurants here are some of the best in Australia. Eastwood also holds a number of cultural festivals throughout the year. Further north of Eastwood and reaching the upper limit of the region are the suburbs of Beecroft and Cheltenham. These suburbs are hidden gems and have lush tree lined streets with grand heritage homes, a quaint shopping village that is reminiscent of an old English town and an abundance of golf courses, grass tennis courts and nature reserves. Finally, to the northeast is Macquarie Park and Macquarie University. This area was developed to be similar to the area surrounding Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and is now Australia's undisputed high technology hub. Travellers that come here will find large campus-style office buildings for companies like Microsoft and Oracle as well as the lush rolling lawns of the university. The central hub of this area is Macquarie Centre, a sprawling shopping mall that is Sydney's second largest. Macquarie Park is also the gateway to Lane Cove National Park, a large park that borders the region to the east. The park contains the p

Getting there

The region is well serviced by public transport with trains, buses and ferries servicing the area.

By car If you intend to go to the business area in the northwest, take the Gore Hill Freeway, Lane Cove Tunnel and M2 Motorway from the city. If you intend to visit the Hunters Hill and Woolwich peninsula, take Victoria Road all the way to the Gladesville Bridge and you're there.

By train or metro Sydney Metro's M1 line serves the technology park at North Ryde and Macquarie Park. The most useful station is Macquarie University, connecting to the namesake university, Macquarie Centre, and has bus connections to the surrounding suburbs and the city. T9 Northern Line serves the middle/western parts of Ryde, and has stops in Eastwood, Epping and Beecroft. The intercity rail line, the Central Coast and Newcastle Line, calls at Epping for connections to the Metro, and runs north to the Central Coast.

By bus Buses from the city (departing from the Queen Victoria Building near Town Hall and also from Wynyard and Central) travel frequently to Macquarie Park and Epping. The 545 and 550 buses also travel between Macquarie Park and Parramatta, winding through the Ryde and Parramatta suburbs.

By ferry There are regular ferries from Sydney and it makes a great way to get to places near the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers. The Parramatta River Line (F3) leaves from Circular Quay and has stops at Woolwich, Huntley's Point and Meadowbank. The Lane Cove River Line (private operator) leaves from Circular Quay and has stops in Hunters Hill and Lane Cove.

By bicycle There is a separated bicycle path for most of the distance between the city and the Macquarie region. When riding from the city simply head over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and follow the signs to 'Macquarie Park'. Once you are in Macquarie, there are bicycle paths (some separated, some shared with other road users) that can safely get you around the region. Be mindful that like most of Sydney, the Macquarie regi

See

Parks and gardens 1 Woolwich Lookout and Clarks Point Reserve, Woolwich Road, Woolwich (take the ferry to Woolwich wharf or bus 538 from Hunters Hill). Clarks Point Reserve offers picnic grounds overlooking Sydney Harbour with distant views of the bridge and city. This spot is also popular for fishing, sailing and stand-up paddle boarding. Above the reserve is Woolwich Lookout and is worth going up to see the view. Free. (updated Dec 2015) 2 Lane Cove National Park. One of the closest national parks to the centre of Sydney, and it is an oasis of green natural habitat in the middle of Sydney. The Great North Walk runs through it, and the area between Lane Cove Road and Delhi Road is very popular for its numerous barbecue spaces and easy walk by the Lane Cove River. You can rent a boat and explore the area from the river, or camp in the camping site. There is a fee for car parking.

Macquarie University

While not as historic or as grand as its competitor in the Inner West, Macquarie is still a unique Australian university with over 126 hectares of rolling lawns and natural bushland. It is one of the only campuses where you can see natural wildlife wandering around and stopping human traffic. Nestled in the trees are modern Brutalist style buildings designed by renowned architect Walter Abraham. The campus features a modern library, museums, art galleries, a sculpture park, an observatory, sports facilities and a hospital. If you happen to visit the campus, here are the main attractions:

Central Courtyard is at the centre of the campus and fans of archieture will appreciate the Brutalist style concrete buildings that surround it. University Lake is a picturesque spot to relax in the sun and read a book with the university's students. There are plenty of ducks and fish in the lake to watch and play with. Macquarie University Art Collection emphasises contemporary Australian art. Its main pieces can be found in the art gallery (building E11A) while its large sculp

Do

Events There are a small number of events held annually in the area.

Granny Smith Festival, Eastwood Plaza. A Saturday in October, Check website. Usually 9AM-8:30PM. The annual Granny Smith Festival celebrates the life and legacy of one of the district’s most famous citizens, Maria Ann Smith (aka Granny Smith) who, back in 1868, ‘accidentally’ grew the first batch of little green apples that bear her name and are now grown all over the world. Free. (updated Dec 2015) Lunar New Year, Eastwood Plaza. Jan or Feb. Music and Chinese and Korean dance performances, high pole dancing lions, food stalls, fireworks and Eastwood’s longest dragon parade. (updated Feb 2021)

Culture 1 Lighthouse Theatre, Gymnasium Road, Macquarie University. Hosts a small selection of shows mostly put on by Macquarie's various arts societies. (updated Mar 2016) 2 Event Cinemas, Macquarie Shopping Centre. Part of the modern chain showing mainstream and some independent movies with various types levels of cin