International Conference on Peri-Urban Landscapes: Water, Food and Environmental Security, Sydney, Australia, July 8-10, 2014. Anne-Maree Boland presentation

1. Anne-Maree Boland, Matt Shanahan, Carl Larsen, Luke Rolley, Shelley McGuinness (RMCG)
Bruce Simmons (University of Western Sydney)
Lisa Riddle, Kate Dundas, Isobel Maginn (Planisphere)
Development of a Masterplan for Urban Farming in the Horsley Park
 8th July 2014

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Objectives
 Western Sydney Parklands Trust
 To protect and promote the Parklands as a valuable urban
agricultural setting, with benefits for recreation, tourism,
education and the local economy
 Horsley Park Precinct
 To establish urban farming
 To implement a Masterplan to deliver the successful roll-out
of urban farming
 To ensure the most commercially viable and sustainable
use of the land for the agriculture sector

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 Analysis of region
 Consultation
 Opportunities for agriculture
 Masterplan
 Agricultural Plan
 Landscape Plan
 Implementation plan
 Market will decide
 Need to build in flexibility

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Horsley Park Precinct

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Current Land Use

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“A centre for sustainable
farming, with benefits for the
local economy, recreation,
tourism and education”
Vision

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 Natural Assets
 Topography
 Climate – temperature, frosts
 Soils – salinity, sodicity, pH, N, P, erosion
 Water
 Native vegetation
 Built Assets
 Land ownership
 Land uses
 Infrastructure and utility services
 Infrastructure, easements and buffers
Key considerations

9. Topo map

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 Economic Factors
 Available markets
 Lease structure and arrangement
 Lease rates
 Parcel size
 Labour
 Social/Cultural Factors
 Existing landholder base,
 Large commercial producers, successful business people,
young farmers
 Existing cultural groups, community & social interaction
 Sustainable management practices
 Amenity of the Precinct
Key considerations

11. Existing land usage

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 Potential agricultural enterprises
 Glasshouses, intensive animals, poly/greenhouses,
market gardens, orchards/groves, pastures/grazing
 11 amalgamated productive lots
 Size range from 5 ha to 31 ha
 Total land availability of 158 ha
 Analysis of options
 Positive aspects
 Factors requiring management
 Estimated revenue
 Conditions required for business
Agricultural Master Plan

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 Achieve bushland corridor in Plan of Management
 Improve the Precinct’s visual amenity
 Improve gateways to the Precinct
 Provide plantings along major roads and Canal
 Provide small public space to take advantage of Sydney views
 Improved cycle/walking tracks
 Provision for farmgate shops
 Improved farm frontages and signage
Landscape Plan

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 Opportunity to achieve farming in a peri-urban environment
 Identified challenges and multiple benefits
Conclusions