Unveiled last week to the Premier at the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue’s Boomtown summit was a bold vision to turn Penrith Lakes – now known as Western Sydney Lakes – into a world class waterway with its own version of Bondi icebergs.

Sitting on over 2000 hectares, the site is five times the size of Centennial Park and has undergone years of rehabilitation to turn it into a pristine, swimmable area.

In the past, this site has been touted as western Sydney’s answer to Barangaroo.

Owned by Boral, Hanson Australia and Holcim Australia, what’s planned is a two-storey pavilion with a pier on the waterfront with a boardwalk, lake run to rival the Inner West’s bay run and beaches for swimming, as well as a rowing facility, golf course and business precinct.

Also included in the proposal is a previously announced film and TV production area, that will include production studios, sound stages and water filming tanks.

Construction of the Nepean Business Park – which I was fortunate enough to be involved in – is well underway.

A suite of proposed changes to the Penrith Lakes SEPP required to turn this vision into reality were put on public exhibition in August 2021 but no decision has been made yet.