Penrith and St Marys on the fast track to success

The enormous potential and vision for the Penrith region has been shared and celebrated as part of Penrith City Council’s inaugural Positively Penrith Symposium Series. 

Local businesses, investors, organisations and other key stakeholders recently converged in Penrith for AMPLIFY PENRITH CBD, and in St Marys for CONNECTED ST MARYS.

Attendees heard exciting insights from several speakers including Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen, Deputy Mayor Todd Carney, Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres, and Member for Londonderry Prue Car, along with keynote presentations from social demographer Mark McCrindle, and Walkley Award-winning Journalist in business and economics, Helen Dalley.

The MC for both events was Juanita Phillips, one of Australia’s most experienced television news anchors, who expressed her excitement about Penrith’s growth and the importance of shining a light on Western Sydney’s transformation.

Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen welcomed attendees to Amplify Penrith CBD and explained how Council continues to work towards a vision for a vibrant, connected and liveable City.

“Today, we convene in the heart of a City that’s undergoing a major transformation. It’s exciting and bold yet based on a sound strategic framework and vision for our City,” Cr Hitchen said.

“All of this will continue to drive economic growth, provide more local jobs and job diversity, deliver better transport and access around the City, and of course enhance the lifestyle of our residents and visitors.”

Throughout these breakfast events, attendees heard about plans to revitalise the Penrith and St Marys City Centres, and the major city-shaping projects Council has underway, including City Park, Regatta Park, the Police Cottage upgrade, and the Soper Place revitalisation. Guests also learned more about Gipps Street Recreation Precinct and St Marys Central Park – two transformational projects that will benefit from the recent WestInvest funding announcements from the NSW Government where Council was successful in securing close to $30 million in funding to support its vision to make Penrith the place to be.

At the Connected St Marys event, Penrith Deputy Mayor Todd Carney expressed his excitement about the future of St Marys, a growing strategic centre that will be connected to the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport from day one of operations, and will be integral in a true east-west and north-south transport link.

“St Marys has something unique – it’s at the epi-centre of something truly significant, a once-in-a-generation transformation that will reshape the City Centre forever,” Cr Carney said.

Keynote speaker and Walkley Award-winning Journalist in business and economics, Helen Dalley, said trends revealed that private enterprises tended to follow government investment in infrastructure.

“This is not about a single development or putting up a couple of new buildings, this is not about piecemeal, ad hoc decisions - this is coordinated, thought-through planning across three levels of government to futureproof this region,” Ms Dalley said.

These events also marked the launch of Council’s new Investment Prospectus, a comprehensive guide to the City’s unique opportunities, and an invitation to government, investors, businesses and the community to collaborate to ensure Penrith becomes a world-class City. They also form part of the ongoing collaboration and engagement that Council is undertaking to promote Penrith and the vision for a vibrant, connected and liveable City.

To find out more about investment opportunities in Penrith and St Marys, visit investpenrith.com.au

For highlights from these events including videos and photo galleries, and to download the new Investment Prospectus visit;

Amplify Penrith CBD

Connected St Marys

Image Caption: L-R: Kylie Powell, Director City Futures, keynote speaker Helen Dalley, Prue Car MP Member for Londonderry, Deputy Mayor Todd Carney and MC Juanita Phillips at the Connected St Marys Symposium.