A bold new proposal from landowners could see Camellia and the Rosehill Racecourse site transform into 45,000 new homes and a man-made beach.
The Rosehill-Camellia Landowners Alliance (RCLA) has revealed its $25 billion vision for a new community on the amalgamated 90-hectare site – calling on the NSW Government for support.
The RCLA members include Wentworth Properties, Billbergia, Abacus and the Australian Turf Club.
The masterplan intends to unlock access to the Parramatta River waterway with a new ferry wharf, light rail, and Metro stations, all by 2050, as part of a renewed pitch to convert the Rosehill Racecourse into a new mini-city.
The proposed plan will also see a town centre developed as the heart of 45,000 “critically-needed” new homes – including affordable housing – with retail, education and commercial space alongside community facilities, public open spaces and new infrastructure.
Development Director of Billbergia Rick Graf said the proposal would enable Parramatta to “fulfil its destiny” as a global city alongside Sydney.
“This is a once-in-a-century opportunity to plan strategically for an entire ‘city-within-a-city’, while also unlocking access to the riverfront – activating, remediating and beautifying what is now a former industrial wasteland,” he said.
“For scale, the combined site is four times larger than Barangaroo and will accommodate 100,000 people, generating over 15,000 jobs.
“It will be the largest development in the history of the Central River City and is a total game-changer for western Sydney.”
The proposal also reveals plans for new public spaces, including a 350-metre-long beach, opening up an additional 1.5 kilometres of waterfront along the Parramatta River.
The new metro station would also “catalyse a three-minute economic super-hub in western Sydney,” enabling residents to commute within minutes between Westmead, Parramatta and Camellia.
RCLA said transport infrastructure like Parramatta Light Rail and the Metro West provides an opportunity to develop a plan that considers the site’s strategic role over the next 50 years.
That includes the long-term social infrastructure needed to support major housing supply and contribute to the status of the Central River city.
The Alliance members are now calling on the State Government to collaborate with the Landowners and Council to develop a “new and visionary masterplan” to optimise the site.
“The new Masterplan needs to be a highest-level collaboration between Government and the private sector investors and must have the best international expertise to crystallise the broader vision,” Graf added.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.