For 180 years, Sydney’s Victoria Barracks, 13ha of prime inner-city land, has been almost entirely off-limits.

But all that’s about change, after the Federal Government announced it would divest 68 properties nationwide, including the iconic Paddington site.

Former Deputy Lord Mayor Zann Maxwell has partnered with Cottee Parker to envision a new use for the site as Sydney’s next great public space.

The central concept of the new vision released this month is simply to open the gates, thread new pedestrian paths through the site from Oxford Street to Moore Park, and reknit it into Paddington’s urban fabric.

The parade ground — one of the largest continuous green spaces in the inner city — would remain intact, becoming a genuine civic heart rather than a development footprint.

Cottee Parker principal Angelo Di Marco said the visualisations were not designed as a development proposal, but rather as an attempt to spark public discourse about what’s possible before the commercial conversation takes over.

“What makes Victoria Barracks in Paddington so compelling is the powerful contrast it holds between the fine-grained, richly textured neighbourhood beyond its edges, and the expansive ordered landscape within,” he said.

“Handled well, it has the potential to gently reknit Paddington … and invite people into a place that has long been closed.

“We see a future where the Barracks is not just a destination but part of everyday life. A place that welcomes a diverse community, supports new forms of living and offers spaces that people return to again and again.”

▲ The Victoria Barracks at Paddington is an opportunity to reconnect the 13ha parcel of land to Paddington with public realm and key worker housing opportunities. Source: Cottee Parker

As part of the vision, the heritage buildings would be brought back to life with cultural, community, and commercial spaces, supported by affordable and market housing, protecting the site’s heritage while opening it up to future uses.

“This is an opportunity to create Sydney’s next great public place,” Councillor Maxwell said.

“Somewhere you can walk through, throw down a picnic blanket, or pop into a wine bar or gallery in the heritage buildings.”

The group is also calling for a masterplanning process of the site and more structure around the divestment process.

“Before the opportunity passes, we felt it was important to engage with the City of Sydney’s vision and help bring it to life to test ideas, to explore possibilities, and to demonstrate what could be achieved if we approach this site with care, ambition and a genuine commitment to public realm,” Di Marco said.

Eastern Suburbs

Infrastructure

27 Apr 26

New Vision Unveiled for Iconic Victoria Barracks in Sydney

Taryn Paris