Parramatta, NSW – In a proud moment for Western Sydney, Parramatta Square has once again received international recognition, winning the prestigious Place Governance award at the 2024 Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards held in Darwin.
This is the second time Parramatta Square has received this honour, having first won the category in 2022 for its innovative Place Plan. The latest award recognises the City of Parramatta’s exceptional efforts in sustainably managing one of the region’s most dynamic and vibrant public spaces.
Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Cr Martin Zaiter, praised the achievement, saying, “Parramatta Square has become a destination in its own right alongside our community and civic hub PHIVE and Parramatta Town Hall. This award cements its status as the place to be.”
In 2024 alone, Parramatta Square welcomed more than 7.6 million visitors, drawn by major events like Parramatta Lanes, live site screenings of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and a wide array of dining and cultural experiences.
The Place Governance award celebrates visionary governance models that demonstrate transparency, accountability, and collaborative leadership. It honours cities that manage public spaces in a way that benefits all users while remaining resilient and adaptable to future challenges.
The City of Parramatta partnered with leading data analysis firms, Place Score and Place Intelligence, to collect key metrics that inform ongoing management decisions at the Square. The award submission was a joint effort with both data partners, underlining the city's commitment to evidence-based planning.
“This is a credit to our wonderful staff who make this visionary public infrastructure a thriving place for our community to gather and celebrate,” said Cr Zaiter. “We’re well on our way to establishing the Parramatta CBD as the Headquarters District and a leader in city governance across the nation.”
Parramatta Square is a showcase of urban renewal, developed by Walker Corporation, and features four A-grade commercial towers with 240,000 square metres of new office and retail space, surrounded by 10,000 square metres of public domain. Key tenants include National Australia Bank, ABC, NSW Government, Walker Corporation, and Western Sydney University.
Anchoring the civic and community heart of the area are the iconic PHIVE building and Parramatta Town Hall. Public artworks, including Place of the Eels by Sean Cordeiro and Claire Healy, Where the Eels Lie Down by Reko Rennie, and the Dharug Circle, further enrich the precinct, honouring the City’s thousands of years of cultural heritage and completing a visionary 20-year transformation.
The win marks another milestone in Parramatta’s journey to becoming a global urban powerhouse and a symbol of excellence in place governance for the entire Asia Pacific region.
