Sydney Park

Sydney Park is a 41.6-hectare recreational area located in the inner-city suburb of Alexandria, Sydney, Australia.

It is the third largest park in inner-city Sydney and is popular among visitors due to its location along the borders with Newtown and Erskineville.

The park has a rich history, starting with its origins as a forest of turpentine and ironbark trees that were cleared by Thomas Smyth, a marine sergeant with the First Fleet. It later became a major brick manufacturing industry, which lasted for over one hundred years. After the closure of the brickworks, the area was used as a municipal waste tip before being reclaimed and transformed into the present parkland.

Sydney Park's heritage is evident in its public sculpture, including Michael Snape's "The Trail" 1990, displayed on top of the hill in the north-western corner of the park. This corner is significant due to the preservation of the chimneys and brick kilns from the brick manufacturing era.

The park offers a diverse range of activities, making it popular among sports enthusiasts. The Alan Davidson Oval is used for cricket and Australian rules football and is the home ground of the South Sydney District Cricket Club and Newtown Swans Junior Australian rules football team. Additionally, the park hosts the St Peters Parkrun, a weekly free 5 km run.

Sydney Park has also played a role in various youth subcultures and has been the venue for music and arts festivals such as the Soundwave Festival and Sydney's Earthdance event. It has also attracted events like the 'Punks Picnic'.

The park is an oasis in the city, extensively replanted with native trees and shrubs. The eastern section has been transformed into wetland