Paul Keating, Lucy Turnbull lead push to revitalise Sydney’s Macquarie Street

A report into Sydney’s Macquarie St recommendeds a dramatic refurbishment to match visitor hubs in New York, London.

Sydney’s Macquarie Street is home to some of the earliest institutions such as state parliament, the State Library, Sydney Hospital, the Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and St James’ Church.

A long-awaited report into the revitalisation of Sydney’s historic Macquarie Street precinct has recommended a dramatic refurbishment of the area to elevate its cultural and political heritage and bring it on par with internationally renowned visitor hubs in New York and London.

The report — the Macquarie Street East Precinct Review — identified significant shortfalls with the area’s navigational pathways and under-utilised buildings, saying these were robbing the city of opportunities to increase foot-traffic and maximise recognition of historic public assets.

NSW Parliament House

Commissioned in 2018, the review was led by former prime minister Paul Keating and former Greater Sydney commissioner Lucy Turnbull, who cited shortcomings with the area’s aesthetics that left visitors uninspired to experience its many offerings.

“The precinct as a whole lacks its own identity, has lower levels of visitation than other Sydney precinct and lacks vibrancy, but could be a great urban canvas for the night-time economy,” it says.

The report’s most ambitious recommendation would see the Registrar-General’s building, now government office space, repurposed into a high-end cultural institution linked with the Mint and Hyde Park Barracks, creating a 24-hour space open to the public.

“Removal of barriers that separate the Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and the Registrar-General’s building has the potential to transform the southern half of MSE (Macquarie Street East) into a cultural hub with outstanding public space,” the report says.

The Registrar-General’s building.

“This could include small-scale interventions such as new pathways, removing walls and fences, reducing parking, providing improved entrances and establishing 24-hour access to the grounds of all three buildings.”

With relics of colonial significance, Macquarie Street stretches about 1km through the CBD, and is home to some of the earliest institutions such as parliament, the State Library, Sydney Hospital, the Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and St James’ Church.

Across its 60 pages, to go out for public consultation, the report cites the significance of these institutions to the city’s heritage, yet notes the area receives a fraction of the 10 million visitors who descend on the Opera House each year. There are too few restaurants, gathering points and pop-up events, it says. Signage is confusing, spaces are under-utilised, and footpaths are unsafe in some sections.

Unlike The Rocks, which draws about $400m for the NSW economy each year, the precinct lacks a “unifying narrative” and makes little effort to pay homage to history through its aesthetics.

St James’ Church

“This would help position the precinct competitively with other internationally renowned cultural precincts like Exhibition Road and the Museum Mile,” it says.

In nine recommendations, it calls for substantial investment in public art, plaques and monuments, specifically on the presence of Indigenous Australians. “There is a complete lack of representation of Aboriginal history in the public art. The precinct lacks an engaging space that celebrates Sydney’s 60,000-year history.”

The report recommends an “appropriate commemoration” be made to Caroline Chisholm, the 19th-century humanitarian, and says consideration should be given to establishing a Liberty Walk to channel foot-traffic from the Opera House to the Australia Museum via Martin Place.

Further recommendations include converting tunnels beneath Macquarie Street into spaces for underground entertainment, restaurants, bars and retail activity.

The Hyde Park Barracks.