Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park

Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park
	The fountain, located in the Bicentennial Park
Type	Suburban parkland
Location	Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°50′58″S 151°04′41″E / 33.84932778°S 151.0781167°E
Area	40 hectares (99 acres)
Created	1 January 1988
Operated by	Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Open	Sunrise to sunset
Status	Open all year
Website	www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/parks/bicentennial-park

Bicentennial Park is a 40-hectare (99-acre) suburban parkland located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the Sydney central business district in the suburb of Sydney Olympic Park, in the local government area of City of Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. Bicentennial Park is situated on the shores of Homebush Bay and is a part of the Sydney Olympic Park. The park is a natural heritage site featuring an important wetland ecosystem and parklands.^[1]

Features edit

It offers visitors recreation, nature-based tours, environmental education and outdoor event experiences. The park has picnic areas, playgrounds, pathways and cycle ways, access to the wetlands, salt marsh and bird hides. It also features Lake Belvedere, Peace Monument, Treillage Tower, Sundial, 'Cyrus the Great' statue, the Silent Hearts Memorial Garden and water features, including the Brickpit Ring Walk. Powells Creek runs through the eastern side of the park.

The Homebush Bay wetland is occupied by animals that thrive in the salt water wetlands.

History edit

Bicentennial Park was created by the state and federal governments during the 1980s, to celebrate Australia's Bicentenary in 1988. The project involved recycling 47.4 hectares (117 acres) of former rubbish dump into a regional recreation area and the conservation of 53 hectares (130 acres) of a wetland ecosystem on the Parramatta River. The park was officially opened on 1 January 1988.