Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2

The Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2 corridor investigation is identifying long-term transport connections between Western Sydney and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region.

Key benefits

Provides for future reduced inter-regional travel times for journeys between the Western Parklands City and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region for work, study and leisure
Provides for benefits for the movement of freight, including reducing the cost of moving goods between the Port of Port Kembla, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and other logistic hubs in Western Sydney and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven
Provides for an increase in the capacity of the transport network, potentially reducing delays, and offering an opportunity to improve road safety outcomes in line with the Government’s Towards Zero vision
Within and around the Wilton Growth Area, the divergence of inter-regional through-traffic will benefit the Wilton township and contribute toward reducing congestion at the Picton Road interchange
Supports a well-planned intra-regional network that will help to protect precincts of high place value like Appin and Wilton Town Centres from through traffic.

Current Status

Following community and stakeholder engagement for two shortlisted corridor options exhibited between November 2020 and January 2021, a preferred corridor (Blue option) was announced in August 2021. Transport for NSW published an OSO 2 Consultation Report (PDF, 1.32 MB) on our website which documents the themes of the submissions we received and Transport for NSW’s responses to the issues raised.

More recently, further work has been undertaken by Heritage NSW into the Appin Aboriginal massacre site. This work has identified a much more extensive area associated with the Aboriginal massacre of 1816, including the role of the colonial properties in the area. Transport previously proposed to link the Blue Option with a crossing of Broughton Pass to connect to Picton Road. Due to the endorsed State Heritage Listing, such a connection across Broughton Pass is no longer appropriate.

Transport can now confirm that a revised corridor alignment has been identified as the preferred option. The revised option provides for design flexibility to respond to local community needs, which include minimising heritage and environmental impacts.

Map showing illustration of Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2 corridor

The identification of the revised alignment does not result in any immediate changes to planning controls relating to land zoning or how the land can be developed. 

A Corridor Options Report (PDF, 8.14 MB) is available on our website for your viewing. This report provides a review of the Sector 1 strategic options identified to date, considers opportunities to avoid impacts on the recently endorsed recommended State Heritage Listing, and evaluates the broader considerations for a connection(s) to the Illawarra. Consideration is also given to the future relationship between Appin and Wilton.

Transport for NSW will only need to acquire land close to the time the transport infrastructure is required, which may be many years away. 

When it does come time to build the road, Transport’s proposal would have to undergo a detailed planning assessment, providing further opportunities for the community to comment on the project.

Habitat Protection

Koalas require large, connected areas of habitat to eat, move and breed. The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan will protect koala habitat by adding to existing reserves and establishing new public reserves and biodiversity stewardship sites. The Plan will also facilitate koala movement across the landscape by protecting and restoring east–west connectivity. These east–west connects provide high quality habitat along the Georges and Nepean rivers and are important for the long term survival of the koala population.

The Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2 investigation has sought to avoid land identified by the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan as being important for koala conservation. The future design of transport infrastructure will also consider ways to reduce impacts on koalas.

More information about Koala Habitat Protection.

Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan

The proposed Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan will provide biodiversity offsets for new housing and infrastructure corridors to support the delivery of the Western Parkland City. The Plan covers 200,000 hectares of Western Sydney from Wilton in the south to Windsor and Kurrajong in the north.

The conservation program is designed to offset all impacts on biodiversity by protecting at least three times the area affected by development.

The Plan supports 20,500 hectares of Cumberland Plain Woodland, a critically endangered ecological community that is found only in the Sydney Basin.

The Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2 corridor investigation has sought to avoid land identified by the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan as having important conservation values.

More information about the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.

Continuing work

Transport is continuing to work closely with other agencies, including the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, on a number of important issues in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area, including:

Protecting koala corridors and providing habitat revegetation;
- Implementing the recommendations of the Chief Scientist and Engineer report, Advice on the protection of the Campbelltown koala population;
- Aligning strategic planning to the draft Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan; and
- Adopting the Government Architect’s recently released Connecting with Country Framework

Further developing the main elements of the Growth Area’s future transport network, including a potential Outer Sydney Orbital Stage 2 connection to Picton Road and a central transit corridor.

This work supports the Technical Assurance Panel (TAP) pilot program, which was established by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for two precincts in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area (Appin and Gilead).

The TAP is a new way for state agencies, councils and landowners to work together to undertake strategic investigations for precincts. The pilot aims to ensure the development proponent addresses key local, state and strategic issues, before the lodgement of any formal rezoning proposal.

Transport will keep the community informed of any updates as its work with agencies on koala protection and other issues in Greater Macarthur progresses.

Learn more about the TAP pilot here