DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Sydney's Wentworth Park greyhound racing to end early for parkland conversion

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Greyhound racing at Sydney's Wentworth Park will end in October, earlier than a previously agreed 2027 date.
  • The NSW government will fast-track plans to convert the 3.9-hectare site into public open space, including community sporting facilities.
  • The final race meeting will feature the Million Dollar Chase, marking the end of nearly a century of racing at the venue.

Greyhound racing at Sydney's Wentworth Park will conclude in October, significantly earlier than the previously agreed September 2027 lease end. The New South Wales government will expedite its plans to redevelop the 3.9-hectare site into public parkland and community sporting fields.

This will allow the early termination of the license, allowing the transition of greyhound racing to other venues and the restoration of public space at Wentworth Park.

— Paul ScullyPlanning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully explaining the benefits of the early closure.

The final race meeting, scheduled for October, will host the Million Dollar Chase, signaling the end of almost a century of greyhound racing at the iconic venue. Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully stated that greyhound racing would continue at other tracks across the state from November.

"This will allow the early termination of the license, allowing the transition of greyhound racing to other venues and the restoration of public space at Wentworth Park," Scully said. He added that the early closure would permit planning and preparation work to commence sooner.

With more homes coming in and around Wentworth Park, it was important that we've got the open space, the community sporting fields and the like to support those people, essentially providing them with a backyard.

— Paul ScullyPlanning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully on the importance of the redevelopment for the growing population.

The government had announced last year its intention to transform the inner-city track into green space to support new housing developments in surrounding areas. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore welcomed the agreement, emphasizing the vital need for open space in one of the country's most densely populated neighborhoods. "With more homes coming in and around Wentworth Park, it was important that we've got the open space, the community sporting fields and the like to support those people, essentially providing them with a backyard," Scully said.

They're planning about 23,000 to 27,000 jobs and 4,500 to 4,800 homes; so it's an absolute necessity that Wentworth Park is available for essential open space for those people living in such high densities.

— Clover MooreSydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore highlighting the necessity of the open space for the surrounding high-density developments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog