Castle Towers: Action sports company Woodward seeks to open Castle Hill branch

Action sports training business Woodward could soon open its first Australian branch in northwest Sydney, complete with skateboarding, BMX facilities, snowboarding training, and bouldering.

2022 artist impression of exterior of Woodward, the global leader in action sports experiences, which is poised to open its first facility outside of North America at Castle Hill (Castle Towers) in Sydney, Australia.

Northwest Sydney could be the home of a new three-level action sports facility, complete with training grounds for skateboarding, BMX, scooter, snowboarding, skiing, aerial awareness, rock climbing and bouldering.

Plans have been lodged by North American business Woodward to build the site at Castle Towers, Castle Hill, which would also include a cafe, bar, gym, and events space, across three levels.

Woodward can boast 48 Olympic medal winners having been trained at its overseas locations, while the Castle Towers site would be the first the company has built outside of the US.

Woodward president Chris Gunnarson said Sydney was “the ideal city” for Woodward’s first overseas expansion.

What it could look like … artist impression of Woodward.

“Sydney is the ideal city for our first expansion overseas given its history as a destination that embraces sports and commitment to the action sports lifestyle,” Mr Gunnarson said.

“Woodward Sydney will be … a model for future urban centres,” he added. “Woodward has historically been known as the place to go if you are an aspirational professional athlete, and we want all Woodward locations to be focused on empowering athletes of all abilities and age levels”.

Artist impression of the rock climbing walls.

There would be a skating launch pad.

Artist impression of Woodward’s interior.

The addition of Woodward would cement Queensland Investment Corporation’s (QIC) long-term vision to transform Castle Towers, following its lodgement of fresh redevelopment plans, valued at $141 million, for Castle Towers shopping centre.

QIC investment general manager Matthew James said Woodward will help boost Castle Towers status as a world-class shopping centre and deliver new facilities for the rapidly growing community in northwest Sydney.

“At Castle Towers we’re building a transformative town centre that anticipates the lifestyle needs and values of the growing Hills Shire community,” Mr James said.

“The addition of Woodward’s world-leading action sports facility speaks directly to that aspiration … (and) the fact that Woodward has selected Castle Towers for their first destination outside of the US validates our long-term vision for the region and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be partnering with them on this endeavour.”