Revealed: Top 10 Greenest Suburbs in Sydney

Increasing parkland whilst accommodating the growing population is not an easy task, and one that is often met with a conflicting public response. No one knows this better than Sydney Mayor, Clover Moore. As a plan to create more public parkland for the inner-city of Sydney, Clover Moore suggested that the 18-hole Moore Park Golf Course be halved in size, to a 9-hole course, and the remaining space be used as a public parkland. Moore claims, “There has been tremendous pressure on our parks right across the metropolitan area. It is vital that this land is shared with the broader community...The Redfern part of Moore Park is absolutely buzzing with people and you just look across the fence to the golf course and there might be two or three golfers in there”. This suggestion was met by frustration from Sydney’s golfing community, namely Golf NSW Chief Executive, Stuart Fraser, who rebutted that, “Moore Park is a public space – anyone can walk across Moore Park Golf Course. It is certainly not a course that is fenced as much as many other golf courses”. According to Fraser, the Golf Course was instrumental for golfers to escape, do exercise and clear their mind during Covid-19. 

With lockdowns eased, and public socialising permitted, the previously overlooked parklands and general greenspaces have been heralded as gems of the city, and much-needed communal spaces. 

The suburbs within the broader Sydney region with the highest proportion of public greenspace are as follows: 

Number 1: Heathcote - Waterfall (80.5%)

Number 2: Berowra - Brooklyn (78.1%)

Number 3: Terrey Hills - Duffy’s Forest (75%)

Number 4: Asquith - Mount Colah (66.3%)

Number 5: Menai - Lucas Heights (64.1%)

Number 6: Bayview - Elanora Heights (57.8%)

Number 7: Woronora Heights (57.4%)

Number 8: Turramurra (57%)

Number 9: Helensburgh (56.2%)

Number 10: Manly Vale - Allambie Heights (52.7%)

Yielding both a financial and a health benefit, living close to greenspace impacts both the general well-being of residents, as well as increasing the value of their homes. According to Tim Lawless, Corelogic’s head of research, “Our case study has revealed a positive correlation between housing values and greenspace...as Australia’s climate change strategies and domestic policy evolve over the years ahead, the market’s readiness to value ‘greenness’ as a tangible property feature may strengthen.”

Private greenspace, such as residential gardens also contribute to house prices, and in Sydney suburbs where public greenspace was sparse, homes with private greenspace had a stronger relationship and positive correlation with price. 

Melbourne-based tech firm, Neighbourlytics co-founder Lucinda Hartley said, “People are really seeking out creeks, and green and natural spaces … it’s likely based on our recent experience with Covid19—people will want to live closer to green space.

Only set to become more valuable, last year the NSW government pledged $250million towards the NSW Public Spaces Legacy program, which incentivises the expedition of development assessments with financing for councils to deliver more public spaces.

“With lockdowns eased, and public socialising permitted, the previously overlooked parklands and general greenspaces have been heralded as gems of the city.”

“With lockdowns eased, and public socialising permitted, the previously overlooked parklands and general greenspaces have been heralded as gems of the city.”