Creating Places to Love with safer connections for pedestrians and cyclists
The NSW Government, in partnership with City of Parramatta Council, has recently completed innovative enhancements to the newly named Yilabara Path: an important and popular walking and cycling link between Parramatta CBD’s Phillip Street and the Parramatta River Foreshore.
The Yilabara Path upgrade helps to revitalise the public space, boosts connectivity and improves perceptions of safety through a combination of place naming, public artwork, street furniture and activations.
‘Yilabara’, the Dharug word used to describe ‘Quick Way Through’, was the most popular choice among three shortlisted Indigenous names chosen as part of community feedback, in consultation with Dharug Elders and members of the Aboriginal community.
The laneway provides direct access for people from Phillip Street to the Parramatta River foreshore via a stairway. It also connects with the Elizabeth Street footbridge and northern side of the Parramatta River.
City of Parramatta engaged artists Tina Barahanos, Alexandra Byrne and Dharug artist Leanne Redpath Watson to paint a glow-in the-dark ground mural which conveys the story of being guided at night by moonlight through Dharug Ngurra.
The artwork theme ‘Passing Through Light’ is reminiscent of the moon shining over the laneway and Parramatta River.
The $130,000 project was delivered as a part of round two of Transport for NSW’s Places to Love Program and includes:
• Artists Tina Barahanos, Alexandra Byrne and Leanne Redpath Watson created a first of its kind in Parramatta ground mural painted with a phosphorescent surface treatment that runs through the laneway enabling it to glow in the dark, improving the sense of safety at night and creating a unique point of interest.
• Connecting to the ground mural work is an overflow of the artwork onto the adjoining stairs featuring Dharug language. The illuminated paint is on the riser face of the steps leading from the laneway to the Parramatta River walkway.
• Naming the previously unnamed laneway, with artist Leanne Redpath Watson engaging with the Dharug community on name options and providing language guidance.
• Designing custom furniture so the community can rest near the Yilabara Path and Parramatta River without impacting walking and cycling movement along the popular route.
The laneway is a key link for locals wanting to access the busy Parramatta CBD from the City’s north, with more than 2,100 people on average passing through the area each weekday.
The opening of this pathway upgrade coincides with the announcement of the third round of Places to Love.
The third round Places to Love Program will partner with three new councils to deliver a further $450,000 in public space enhancements. These are Albury City Council, Campbelltown City Council and Georges River Council.
To date the NSW Government has partnered with nine councils since 2020, as part of rounds one and two of the program, to deliver almost $1.2 million in projects.
For more information on the Places to Love Program visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/industry/cities-and-active-transport/cities-revitalisation-and-place/festival-of-place-1