This $50m park poses an unlikely threat to Sydney’s new airport

Plans to build a $50 million urban park near Western Sydney Airport have sparked fears of strikes on low-flying aircraft due to a spike in bats and birds that could be drawn to the sprawling green space.

Western Sydney Airport officials have called for a range of wildlife management protocols to reduce risks from the park set to be built two kilometres from the airport’s runway.

An artist’s impression of the new parkland set to be built near the Western Sydney Airport.Credit: Bradfield Development Authority

The two-hectare green space, approved by the NSW government in March, will be located on top of the future Bradfield metro station and feature at least 550 trees, wetlands and open green spaces for public events.

The Bradfield Development Authority (BDA), which is delivering the project, hopes the park will become an “urban oasis” in the heart of Bradfield City Centre, which is projected to have a population of 3000 by 2036.

Western Sydney Airport officials have raised safety concerns over the increased risk of birds and bats coming into conflict with aircraft.

Bird strikes are commonplace in the aviation sector. Australian Transport Safety Bureau figures show 17,280 bird strikes reported at airports nationwide over the past 10 years.

The park will feature wetlands and more than 550 trees.Credit: Bradfield Development Authority

Qantas and Virgin Australia have reported that multiple flights have been affected in recent months. A bird strike was also believed to have sparked flames in an engine of an Australia-bound Virgin flight from New Zealand last year.

Despite the high number of incidents, most bird strikes rarely damage an aircraft or cause injuries.

The airport has called for parts of the park, including water bodies and landscaping, to be designed in ways that “minimise wildlife attraction”. The airport also wants input into future major events at the park site to “safeguard local fauna and future airport operations”.

“The congregation of wildlife, particularly birds and bats, can lead to wildlife plane strikes that pose a serious safety threat to the community,” an airport spokeswoman said.

A map showing the location of Bradfield City Centre near the Western Sydney Airport.

“Western Sydney Airport is focused on ensuring a consistent, sustainable and safe wildlife management approach across our precinct and those operating near the airport.”

Planning documents for the park recognised several factors could lead to a “proliferation of scavenging wildlife”, including visitors feeding birds or leaving behind rubbish.

An assessment of bird strikes carried out during planning stages for the airport showed high-risk species that could affect planes include Australian white ibises and flying foxes.

Western Sydney University Professor of ecology Ricky Spencer said wildlife could be drawn to the new wetlands due to loss of habitat in other parts of Sydney’s west.

“Areas surrounding the airport are nesting habitats for large birds such as pelicans, swans and sea eagles, which may have impacts on planes,” he said.

“With the amount of development in west and south-west Sydney, more habitat will be lost, which means any new wetlands are likely to attract wildlife pushed out of other areas.”

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the BDA said designs for the park included controls on the types of trees and vegetation to “manage wildlife attraction”.

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