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Bradfield Aerial Innovation Square Artist impression

WPCA Community Newsletter - October 2021


Acknowledgement of Country

The Western Parkland City Authority acknowledges more than 60,000 years of continuous Aboriginal connection to the land that makes up New South Wales.

Since time immemorial, Aboriginal people have managed, cultivated and cared for the landscape where Greater Sydney was established and continues to grow. Aboriginal people hold profound knowledge, understanding, obligation and custodianship of the landscape.

The Western Parkland City Authority acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands that include the Western Parkland City and the living culture of the traditional custodians of these lands.

Welcome from Sarah Hill, CEO Western Parkland City Authority

What an incredibly busy few weeks it has been since we sent out our first community newsletter in August.

Architects have now been engaged to design the very first building for the Bradfield City Centre. I encourage you to visit our virtual on-line community pop-in session next week to find out more about the building and to provide your feedback before we submit a development application to the NSW Government in November.

As well as delivering the Bradfield City Centre, it is the role of the Western Parkland City Authority to attract investment and business. Earlier this month we hosted Tomorrow’s City Today, a five-hour on-line industry briefing to outline future tender, investment and partnership opportunities across the Aerotropolis. Around 1,000 people registered for the event, from local small businesses to international corporations.

I am very excited to give you a sneak peek into the New Education and Training Model (NETM) pilot program we will be kicking off early next year. NETM is a game changer for those who are looking to start, advance or change their career. It is just one of the many ways we will be working to support job creation across the Western Parkland City.

I hope you enjoy reading about these exciting milestones in this edition of the WPCA Community Newsletter and, as always, we would love to hear from you.

Sarah Hill,
CEO Western Parkland City Authority

Australia’s newest city starts to take shape

Artist’s impression ©Hassell

We are thrilled to have engaged the internationally recognised architect firm Hassell to design the very first building for the Bradfield City Centre - Australia’s newest city!

The first building will set the scene for the future Bradfield City Centre. It marks the start of a new way to attract and connect local and global industry, and to train and grow a workforce skilled for the future. It will house shared high-tech manufacturing equipment for research and development. A key feature will be a visitor centre and viewing spaces, designed to watch the city being built in real time. Sustainability will be a key feature of the building and it will be surrounded by green and open space.

You can leave your feedback on our proposal for the first building, and find out more about planning for the Bradfield City Centre, by visiting our virtual community drop-in session. The session will be open from 9am on Monday October 25 to 5pm Monday November 1 before we seek planning approval in November from the Department of Planning Industry and Environment (DPIE) through a State Significant Development application.

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Community Connections

Artist’s impression of First Building ©Hassell

We understand and share the depth of feeling among community members regarding the need to reflect the rich diversity of people, cultures and achievements that make the Western Parkland City a special place.

We will work with representatives of the local Aboriginal community and with Liverpool City Council to give the first building in the Bradfield City Centre a First Nations name. We will also work with cultural leaders, the community and council to help identify a range of suitable names for other Bradfield City Centre features to reflect and honour our multicultural communities as well as the people and achievements of the past that have helped to shape the Western Parkland City.

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NETM – a new way forward for skills training

As we attract more and more future-focused industries to the Western Parkland City, we also recognise that workers and industry need to have access to the right education and training.

The New Education and Training Model (or NETM) four year pilot program will be up and running in early 2022. As a pilot program, our courses will be free for learners.

Our NETM program is for workers wanting to develop new and recognised skills through ‘micro-credentials’ – short, targeted training courses developed with industry and education providers. It takes about 40 hours to gain a micro-credential, so you can quickly develop the skills you need. You can pick and choose courses that you want to do, and ‘stack’ micro-credentials to create new qualifications that recognise your full set of skills and experience.

Micro-credentials are fast and flexible so that local business can grow a skilled workforce quickly.

If you are interested in what opportunities NETM can provide, please click here

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Meet the Team

Jessica Herder – Director, Aboriginal Outcomes

Hi, I’m Jessica, and I recently joined the WPCA team as Director of Aboriginal Outcomes. I am a proud Dunghutti woman, who grew up on Dharawal Country in southern Sydney and now lives on Wallumedegal land in north-west Sydney. I have an Environmental Science degree from University of Wollongong and a Graduate Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from Sydney University.

My role is to help make a positive social and economic difference for Aboriginal people through creating places where Aboriginal people are included. My passion for natural and cultural heritage conservation drives me to secure the benefit and knowledge of our culture for future generations. I look forward to working with communities across the Western Parkland City to ensure that Aboriginal culture and achievements, past, present and future, are celebrated.

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Coming Soon

We are building a new community information portal on our website where you can go to find out what is happening with major projects in your neighbourhood.

This includes our first building, development of the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s planning exhibition, Sydney Metro’s project from St Marys through to the new airport and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, and Transport for NSW undertaking a range of road upgrades.

Updated regularly, the portal will provide information on major government projects planned and underway in the Aerotropolis. We will also have a feature where you can leave feedback or ask questions. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see, please let us know via:

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Working with you

As our neighbours we want to hear from you. We invite you to take a look through our website to find out more about our work and to share your ideas and aspirations for the Bradfield City Centre and the Aerotropolis.

Pop into the virtual community drop-in session between October 25 and November 1 to find out more about the first building to be built at the Bradfield City Centre. 

Please subscribe to receive information, news and updates by:

For an interpreter phone the Australian Government’s translating and interpreting service on 131 450 (within Australia) or +613 9268 8332 (outside Australia).