Pemulwuy is a 96 Hectare Residential Subdivision on lands adjoining a major quarry in Sydney’s west.

A ridgetop park and natural creekline deflected the alignment of major north-south streets. A finer grain of east-west streets provided a block layout that maximised the number of north facing allotments and ensured that every house faced a park or had access to a park at both ends of the street.

Development controls promoted a contiguous landscaped spine within the centre of blocks that would provide a strong landscape character to the estate. Remnant Cumberland Plain woodland was retained and controlled access provided to ensure that it became a well valued community resource.

A range of dwelling types and densities were promoted in specific parts of the estate to interpret the subdivision pattern.

The first stage of Pemulwuy was completed, with amendments, by Delfin Lend Lease.

Subsequent work on the Green-smart display village involving several leading architectural practices and project home fabricators is discussed in Chris Johnson’s publication ‘Homes-dot-com. Architecture for all’.

The subdivision is used as a NSW Better Practice Case Study by the Premier’s Department for Active Living in NSW which notes that, ‘The street and path network of Nelsons Ridge has been designed to ensure permeability and walkability. In contrast to the complex layouts with multiple culs-de-sac that are a feature of some new developments, Nelsons Ridge has adopted a more grid-like street pattern, oriented towards key activities. This ensures that the street network is ‘legible’ to pedestrians, and promotes ease of access for people walking around and through the area. ‘