Wentworth park to be Transformed into Community Space,Signaling Shift for Sydney Greyhound Racing
The New South Wales government has announced a sweeping redevelopment of Wentworth Park,the historic home of greyhound racing in Sydney,into community sporting grounds and parkland. The decision, unveiled by Premier Chris minns, aims to address both the city’s growing housing needs and escalating concerns regarding animal welfare within the racing industry.
The aspiring project will see the 14-hectare site, located just 1.5 kilometers west of the central business district, repurposed to support up to 7,300 new homes and provide much-needed recreational space for residents. The move comes as the government prepares to release the findings of the 2024 inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW,known as the drake report,which is widely expected to reveal troubling details about animal welfare practices.
A key piece of evidence fueling the anticipated report is an 80-page disclosure submitted by Alex Brittan, the chief veterinary officer for Greyhound Racing NSW. Sources suggest the report will likely reignite calls for a complete ban on dog racing, mirroring prohibitions already in place in numerous countries.
Greyhound Racing NSW currently holds a lease on the property until September 2027, having previously sought a 20-year extension. However,up to 2,500 new homes will be facilitated by this rezoning,adding to the 4,800 already planned or approved,bringing the total potential housing capacity to 7,300 dwellings.
The City of Sydney will lead the detailed planning process, building upon existing community consultations regarding the transformation of the dog track. The city’s Ultimo-Pyrmont planning proposal already includes provisions for over 4,000 new homes, and Lord Mayor Clover Moore indicated a willingness to consider increased densities if accompanied by adequate open space.
“Greyhound racing is cruel, barbaric, outdated and unsustainable – it has no place in modern society,” Moore asserted prior to the declaration. “I have long advocated for an end to greyhound racing and the return of Wentworth Park to the community as I was a member of parliament. This parkland should be for the benefit of the community, not an industry that has admitted to killing up to 17,000 healthy dogs each year, has been shown to live-bait, and causes people with a gambling problem real suffering.”
The housing component of the development is anticipated to be concentrated on the eastern side of the park,utilizing existing warehouse spaces and the site of the former Sydney Fish Market.Some mid-rise housing may also be incorporated into the Glebe area. The new Sydney Fish Market is scheduled to open on January 19, 2026.
Mirvac has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the old Sydney Fish Market site, with construction of 1,400 homes – including 580 units designated for student housing – slated to begin in early 2027, pending planning approval. An additional 2,000 dwellings have already been rezoned in the Blackwattle Bay area.
The Wentworth Park precinct will benefit from excellent transport links, including a new ferry stop at the fish market, an upgraded light rail station, a 15-kilometer coastal boardwalk extending from Blackwattle Bay to Woolloomooloo, and the future Pyrmont Metro station, scheduled for completion in 2032.
While acknowledging the shift, Greyhound Racing NSW CEO Steve Griffin stated that consultation with the government regarding Wentworth Park had been “very limited,” but conceded that “the world has moved on” from greyhound racing at the site. He expressed a desire for a lease extension to allow time for the development of a new metropolitan racing precinct in western Sydney.
Notably, Griffin appeared alongside NSW Racing Minister David Harris to announce a new multimillion-dollar greyhound track in Lithgow, signaling continued government support for the industry. The government has pledged $10 million to the Greyhound capital grants program to facilitate upgrades to other racetracks, aiming to support a “competitive, responsible and sustainable” industry.
“greyhound racing is a valuable contributor to regional communities supporting thousands of jobs,” Harris affirmed. The housing component of the new development is likely to be located on the eastern side of the park including the old Sydney fish market site. This redevelopment marks a pivotal moment for both urban planning and animal welfare considerations in New South Wales.
