A Guide to Council Services - Parramatta City Council

Parramatta City Council 

A Guide to Council Services

Contents 

WELCOME Page 1 

PARRAMATTA FACTS AT A GLANCE Page 2 

GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA Page 3 

ABOUT COUNCIL Pages 4-5 

Councillors 

Rates 

COMMUNITY SERVICES Pages 6-13 

Early Learning Centres 

Looking after our community 

Economic Development 

Home Support and Community Services 

Libraries 

MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR HOME Page 13 

Development and building 

ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH Pages 14-18 

Pets and animals 

Garbage and recycling 

Noise 

Your property 

ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE Pages 19-23 

Festivals and events 

Heritage and Visitor Information Centre 

Riverside Theatres 

Recreational facilities 

Swimming pools and golf course 

TRANSPORT Pages 24-25 

Car parking 

Cycling 

Public transport 

COUNCIL CONTACTS Pages 26-28 

EMERGENCY AND CRISIS SERVICES Pages 29-30 

MIGRANT RESOURCE & COMMUNITY CENTRES Page 31 

MAP OF COUNCIL SERVICE LOCATIONS Pages 32-33

WELCOME 

This booklet has been designed to provide you with 

an introduction to Parramatta and some of the useful 

services Council provides to its local community. 

Parramatta City Council provides more than 40 

services to improve the quality of life for its residents 

and to make Parramatta a great place to live, work, 

play, invest and learn. 

The information provided within this booklet will help 

you become familiar with the programs and services 

available to you and how you can get involved in your 

local community. 

Parramatta is lucky to have a very diverse community. 

In fact, 40% of our 172,000 residents were born 

overseas and 43% speak a language other than 

English at home. We are extremely proud of this 

multicultural diversity. 

We hope you will find this resource helpful. You can 

find more information translated into your language 

on Council’s website www.parracity.nsw.gov.au. 

Cr John Chedid, 

Lord Mayor of Parramatta 

A Guide to Council Services 1

PARRAMATTA FACTS AT A GLANCE 

• Located 24km west of Sydney’s CBD, 

Parramatta is easily accessible by road, 

rail and ferry. 

• Total area of 61 square kilometres, 

intersected by 65km of natural 

waterways and includes 759 hectares 

of open space. 

• As the centre of Sydney, Parramatta 

is the second largest work destination 

in Sydney, employing an estimated 

120,000 workers and with a population 

of 172,333 residents. 

• More than 40% of Parramatta’s 

residents were born overseas, with 

43% speaking a language other than 

English at home. 

• The most widely spoken languages are 

English, Arabic, Chinese and Korean. 

• Parramatta’s economy is worth $14.8 

billion per year. 

• Parramatta is home to more than 7,000 

businesses within the City centre, and 

more than 1,100 retail businesses 

located close to public transport 

networks. 

• Major cultural, conference, 

entertainment, sporting and tourist 

facilities can be found in Parramatta 

including Rosehill Gardens Racecourse 

and Exhibition Centre, Parramatta 

Stadium, Riverside Theatres, and 

a significant heritage and cultural 

tourism sector. 

• Many major events and festivals 

are held in Parramatta including 

Parramasala Festival of South Asian 

Arts and Sydney Festival Parramatta. 

• Up to 360 cafés, bars, bistros and 

restaurants make Parramatta one of 

Sydney’s busiest and diverse dining 

locations. 

2 

Parramatta City Council

GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA 

Democracy 

Australia is a democratic government 

which means its citizens choose their 

leaders to govern the country. These are 

held accountable for their policies and 

their conduct in office. 

Local Government 

Each state is divided into regions 

called ‘municipalities’ that are run by 

local government or ‘councils’, such as 

Parramatta City Council. 

The government representatives are 

elected by people 18 years and over 

who are Australian citizens. Voting is 

compulsory by citizens for Federal, State 

and Local representatives. 

People can make suggestions or 

complaints to the government by 

contacting the person who represents 

them. 

One Commonwealth Government 

(federal) 

Australia has three levels of government, 

each with different responsibilities: 

Federal Government 

Led by the Prime Minister and looks 

after matters that affect the whole 

nation, such as relationships with other 

countries, defence forces, immigration, 

the welfare system and the health 

system. 

State Government 

Led by a Premier and makes decisions 

and rules for people within each state. 

Each state government controls its police 

force, education system and public 

transport system. 

Six state and two territory 

governments 

722 local governments 


WOODVILLE WARD 

ARTHUR PHILLIP WARD 

ABOUT COUNCIL 

Councillors 

The City of Parramatta is divided into five 

electoral areas known as Wards: Arthur 

Phillip, Caroline Chisholm, Elizabeth 

Macarthur, Lachlan Macquarie and 

Woodville. Each Ward is represented by 

three Councillors. 

Councillors are elected every four years 

and the Lord Mayor is elected by the 

Councillors each September. 

CAROLINE CHISHOLM WARD 

Cr Scott Lloyd 

Mob: 0414 730 254 

Cr Bob Dwyer 

Mob: 0428 024 997 

Cr Shahadat Chowdhury 

Mob: 0469 441 272 

Cr Julia Finn 

Mob: 0414 190 202 

Cr Bakous Makari 

Mob: 0428 024 484 

Cr Andrew Wilson 

Mob: 0414 190 205 

LACHLAN MACQUARIE WARD 

Cr Lorraine Wearne 

Mob: 0416 035 817 

Cr Jean Pierre Abood 

Mob: 0428 020 851 

Cr Pierre Esber 

Mob: 0414 190 204 

Caroline CHiSHolM 

Ward 

Baulkham Hills 

Seven 

Hills 

Winston Hills 

epping 

old 

Toongabbie 

Toongabbie 

Carlingford 

eastwood 

northmead 

Constitution 

Pendle 

Hill 

Hill Wentworthville Westmead 

north Parramatta 

oatlands 

Telopea 

dundas 

dundas Valley 

ermington 

laCHlan 

MaCQUarie 

Ward 

Cr Glenn Elmore 

Mob: 0408 605 451 

Cr Steven Issa 

Deputy Lord Mayor 

Mob: 0416 100 223 

Cr Paul Garrard 

Mob: 0414 504 504 

arTHUr PHilliP 

Ward 

WoodVille 

Ward 

Merrylands 

Guildford 

Parramatta 

Harris 

Park 

Granville 

South 

Granville 

Chester 

Hill 

Clyde 

Camellia 

rosehill 

rydalmere 

eliZaBeTH MaCarTHUr 

Ward 

ELIZABETH MACARTHUR WARD 

Melrose 

Park 

Cr John Hugh 

Mob: 0428 017 928 

Cr John Chedid 

Lord Mayor 

Mob: 0431 506 055 

Cr James Shaw 

Mob: 0428 020 053 

4 


RATES 

Why do I pay rates? 

Council rates contribute to the building 

and maintenance of facilities such as 

pools, parks, libraries, waste services, 

repairing roads, improving infrastructure 

and protecting the environment 

throughout the City of Parramatta. 

If you own a property, you will be 

expected to pay Council rates on a yearly 

or quarterly basis. If you are renting a 

property, it is the owner of your property 

who is levied for Council rates and waste 

charges. 

Pensioner rebates 

All NSW councils provide a pensioner 

rebate of up to $250. Parramatta City 

Council is one of the few councils that 

also grants an additional rebate (of up 

to $100) for eligible pensioners. Contact 

Council for more information. 

• Direct debit - Application forms can 

be obtained by calling 9806 5441 

• Phone – Pay using your MasterCard, 

VISA or Bankcard by calling Australia 

post on 13 18 16 

• Mail – Send your cheque or money 

order with your rates notice to – 

Parramatta City Council, Locked Bag 

W118, Sydney NSW 1292 

• BPAY – Pay over the counter at any 

Australia Post branch or online 

• Online – Go to 

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au and click on 

‘Pay Rates online’ 

• In person – Visit one of Council’s 

cashiers at Parramatta City Council, 

30 Darcy Street, Parramatta, Monday- 

Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm. Bring your 

rates notice and pay either by cash, 

cheque or EFTPOS. A 1% payment 

processing fee applies to credit card 

transactions. 

For all rates and property enquiries, 

phone 9806 5441. 

How can I pay my rates? 

You can pay Council rates annually in full 

or in quarterly installments by: 


COMMUNITY SERVICES 

EARLY LEARNING CENTRES 

Parramatta City Council manages five 

fully-accredited Early Learning Centres 

which provide quality care and education 

for children from the age of six weeks 

to six years. The centres implement 

educational programs as well as activities 

that teach children how to socialise and 

develop independency skills. 

The bilingual teachers and carers are 

from a variety of cultural backgrounds 

which enables inclusion of culturally 

appropriate programs in the centres. 

Children are given activities appropriate 

to their physical and social developmental 

stages and are provided with all meals, 

an opportunity to rest, and have fun 

through structured play. 

For more details on hours of operation 

and costs, call your local Early Learning 

Centre: 

Dundas Early Learning Centre 

79 Calder Close, Rydalmere NSW 2116 

Phone 9684 6715 

Fax 9898 1354 

Ermington Possum Patch Early Learning 

Centre 

12 Bartlett Street, Ermington NSW 2115 

Phone 9684 4471 

Fax 9638 3561 

Frances Fisk Early Learning Centre 

64 The Avenue, Granville NSW 2142 

Phone 9682 6342 

Fax 9897 7546 

6 


Jubilee Park Early Learning Centre 

Jubilee Lane (off Marion Street), 

Harris Park NSW 2150 

Phone 9633 4468 

Fax 9633 4202 

Northmead Redbank Early Learning 

Centre 

Arthur Phillip Park, 2A Redbank Road, 

Northmead NSW 2152 

Phone 9630 6755 

Fax 9630 6411 

LOOKING AFTER OUR COMMUNITY 

Parramatta City Council’s Community 

Capacity Building team (CCB) assists 

communities across the Parramatta 

local government area to work with 

Council to develop their capacity to 

achieve their goals. 

Economic Development 

Parramatta City Council’s Economic 

Development team is a resource for 

local businesses looking for information 

on Council processes, local economic 

statistics and data, news, business events 

and networking functions. 

The team is keen to engage with small 

business owners, particularly those from 

ethnic backgrounds requiring specialist 

advice and services to help them conduct 

their business in Parramatta. 

Enquiries from home-based businesses, 

start-ups and small to medium sized 

enterprises are all welcome. 

To contact the Economic Development 

team, phone 9806 5730. 

The CCB team also manages Council’s 

Community Grants Program to which 

community groups, services and 

organisations can apply for financial 

support for capacity building projects. 

Social Enterprise 

Social enterprises are businesses that 

trade for a social or environmental 

purpose and reinvest the majority of their 

surplus into furthering the organisation’s 

purpose. 

Council has a Social Enterprise Program 

promoting the growth and sustainability 

of social enterprise in the region and 

contributing to the development of the 

national social enterprise movement. 


HOME SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY 

SERVICES 

Council provides services to help older 

people, people with disabilities and 

their carers with activities, services, 

information, education, referral and 

support. 

Services include: 

Over 55s Leisure & Learning Service 

Members can access a range of 

educational, recreational and social 

activities such as arts and crafts lessons, 

bus trips and dance and exercise classes. 

Membership is open to anyone over the 

age of 55. There is a small annual fee and 

a minimal cost per class or activity. 

For more details, phone 9806 5128. 

Peer Support 

Peer support provides recreational and 

social opportunities to people with 

physical or intellectual disabilities. Paid 

staff and volunteers are involved in 

supporting people in this service. There 

is an administration fee which covers 

transport (if required), with entry fees, 

meals and other expenses at your own 

cost. 


Carers’ Support 

If you care for an older person, or a 

person with a disability who is a relative 

or friend, there are a range of services 

that provide information, assessment, 

short-term informal counseling, free 

courses, and social groups. 

8 


To be eligible, the carer or the person 

being cared for must live in the 

Parramatta local government area. 


Meals on Wheels (Food Services) 

This service provides fresh, home 

delivered meals to people who may not 

be able to prepare their own food. A 

chilled or hot meal can be delivered from 

Monday to Friday, or frozen meals can be 

supplied once a week. Frozen meals are 

also available for weekends (delivered on 

Friday) and special diets can be catered 

for. There are a wide range of cultural 

meals to choose from. A meal package 

includes a main meal, dessert and juice, 

or a soup and juice. Fruit is also available. 

Neighbour Aid (Social Support) 

The Neighbour Aid home visiting service 

organises trained volunteers to visit and 

provide companionship to frail, older 

people and people with disabilities, as 

well as their carers, by visiting them for 

a few hours each week. In some cases, 

volunteers also help with writing letters, 

making appointments and paying bills 

on time. There are also occasional group 

outings. 

For more details, phone: 

Dundas 9806 5122 

Granville 9806 5123 

Holroyd 9806 5753 



Community Assist Lawn Mowing 

Services 

This service helps frail, aged residents, 

people with a disability and their carers 

to maintain their lawns. Residents are 

assessed, and priority is given to residents 

who need it most. This is a subsidised 

service and customers pay the gap. 


Volunteers 

If you would like to volunteer your help 

for any of our services, please contact the 

Volunteer Service Project Officer on 

9806 5704. 

Home Care 

The State Government runs a separate 

service called the Home Care Service. 

They provide domestic assistance and 

personal and respite care. If you or 

someone you know requires home care, 

phone 9685 1333. 

Carelink 

To help older people and people 

with disabilities live independently, 

Commonwealth Carelink Centres provide 

free information about community aged 

care, disability and other support services. 

The Centres have local knowledge about: 

• organisations that provide meals, 

transport, shopping and home 

maintenance services 

• the range of services available and how 

to contact them 

• who is eligible to receive the services 

• whether there are any costs associated 

with receiving the services 

• aged care assessment services to 

Community Aged Care packages or 

entry into aged care homes. 

For more information, phone (toll free) 

1800 052 222. 

10 


LIBRARIES 

The Parramatta City Library Service 

consists of the central library at 

Parramatta, five branches and the 

Parramatta Heritage Centre (which 

includes the Local Studies Library). 

Activities and special events are held 

every week, ranging from storytime and 

homework help for children to visits 

by authors, computer classes, reading 

groups and much more. 

By joining the Library, you can use its 

resources and services including: 

• Information about community groups, 

organisations and services available to 

residents in the City of Parramatta 

• Children and youth services such as 

regular storytime (including bilingual 

storytime) and craft activities 

• Community language collections 

and basic English resources for those 

learning English 

• Outreach services to members of the 

community who are confined to their 

homes for medical reasons 

• Computers, including free internet 

access and Wi-Fi 

• Opportunities for learning including 

computer and technology classes, 

English conversation classes and Job 

Club 

• Newspapers, including other 

community languages 

• Justice of the Peace services. 

You can borrow up to 20 items from 

collections which include DVDs, CD- 

ROMs, compact discs and a large section 

for students completing their High 

School Certificate. 

The Library provides a range of online 

services, including downloadable 

resources. Library members can access 

most of these e-resources from home. 


Library locations: 

Constitution Hill Library 

20 Hollis St, Wentworthville 

Phone 9896 2201 

Dundas Library 

Sturt Street, Telopea 

Phone 9638 1146 

Ermington Library 

River Rd, Ermington 

Phone 9638 2270 

Guildford Library 

Railway Terrace, Guildford 

Phone 9632 6744 

Granville Library 

8 Carlton St, Granville 

Phone 9637 4270 

Parramatta City Library 

Civic Place, Parramatta 

Phone 9806 5159 

Library hours: 

Parramatta City Library is open 

Monday to Friday 9.30am – 8pm, 

Saturday 9.30am – 4pm, and 

Sunday 2pm – 5pm. 

The branch libraries are open 

Monday and Thursday 10am – 8pm; 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 

10am – 5.30pm; and Saturday 

9.30am – 12noon. 

More information, phone Parramatta City 

Library on 9806 5159 or visit 

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/library 

12 


MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR HOME 

Development and Building 

Before making any changes to your 

property, you should contact Council’s 

Development Services Unit to discuss 

your plans. Our helpful staff can explain 

which plans and policies will apply. 

If the changes you are making need 

Council consent you will need to lodge a 

development application (DA). 

Certain minor works may not need a DA, 

but you need to obtain confirmation of 

this from Council. 

You may receive written notification 

from Council advising you that somebody 

in your area is proposing to develop their 

property. Anyone who thinks that their 

property may be affected by a proposed 

development can make a submission to 

Council. 

For more information, phone 9806 5524. 


ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH 

Animal registration 

If you own, or are buying a dog or cat, 

you must get the animal microchipped 

and submit a lifetime registration form 

to your local Council. This enables 

authorities to identify your pet if it is lost 

or stolen. 

Pups and kittens need to be microchipped 

by 12 weeks of age or before a change in 

ownership, and registered by six months 

of age. Council provides a discount 

microchip service for its residents. Your 

local vet can also microchip your dog 

or cat, or contact the Animal Welfare 

League on 9606 9333. 

It is an offence not to register your 

animal. 

You must notify Council of any change 

of details including death of animal, 

missing/found animal, change of address 

and ownership. 

Barking dogs 

Dog owners are responsible for ensuring 

that their dog does not become a 

nuisance by barking excessively. 

If you want to report a barking dog, an 

incident sheet needs to be completed 

over 14 days documenting the time that 

the dog barks. For more information 

phone 9806 5350. 

Leash Free Areas 

Dogs can be walked without a leash in 

three areas in Parramatta: 

• Cowells Lane Reserve, Ermington 

• Wolseley St Reserve, Granville 

• McCoy Park Basin Area, Toongabbie. 

14 


Dog attacks 

Pet owners are legally liable and 

responsible for the actions of their pets. 

It is the responsibility of pet owners 

to ensure the protection of others and 

to keep public areas safe for people to 

enjoy. 

If you are victim of, or witness a dog 

attack, contact Council’s Community 

Safety Officers on 9806 5684 or after 

hours 9806 5050. Council’s Officers will 

require the following information: 

• time, date, and where the attack took 

place 

• the type of dog 

• type of attack ie person or other 

animal 

• if the dog’s location is known. 

recycling bin, garden organics bin and a 

scheduled quarterly clean up. 

Additional garbage bins, recycling 

bins and garden organics bins can be 

requested by residents living in single 

unit dwellings and multi unit dwellings 

(charges may apply). 

If you are unsure about your collection 

day or have any questions regarding 

Council’s waste and recycling services, 

phone Council’s Waste Hotline 

9806 5544. 

Garbage service 

General household waste is collected 

at the kerb once a week. Residents are 

provided with a 140 litre bin, however, a 

240 litre bin can be made available at a 

cost upon request in writing. 

Burning regulations 

Backyard burning is prohibited in 

Parramatta, except cooking for 

recreational purposes. During a total fire 

ban, campfires, recreational fires and 

wood or charcoal barbeques/ovens are 

also prohibited. 

Waste and recycling 

Parramatta City Council provides a 

waste and recycling service to reduce 

the amount of waste going to landfill. 

In Parramatta, properties that have 

a Council residential domestic waste 

service are provided with a garbage bin, 


Recycling service 

A 240 litre recycling bin, collected 

every fortnight, is provided to each 

single dwelling. Units, townhouses and 

villas share one recycling between two. 

Recyclable goods include glass bottles 

and jars; plastic bottles and containers; 

aluminium and steel cans, milk and juice 

cartons; and cardboards, newspapers and 

magazines. 

Garden organics service 

A garden organics collection service is 

provided to residents of single dwellings 

on the alternate fortnight to recycling. 

Garden waste includes lawn clippings, 

twigs and pruning, and leaves only. 

Tips to remember regarding bin collection 

in our City: 

• Ensure bins are placed out the evening 

before collection as collection can 

occur anytime between 6am to 5pm 

• For occupational health and safety 

reasons, please ensure your bins are 

placed correctly on the kerb with the 

lids closed 

• Your bin may not be collected if it is 

too heavy (more than 70 kilograms). 

3.5 metres 

1 metre 

1 metre 

1 metre 

1 metre 

16 


Clean up service 

Parramatta City Council provides a 

quarterly kerbside clean up service for 

bulky household materials. This service 

reduces the dumping of bulky rubbish 

in local bushland and helps to protect 

the region’s environmental areas from 

pollution. 

Residents can place up to one cubic 

metre (m³) of materials out for each 

scheduled collection. 

If you do not have the Annual Calendar 

– Clean Up Service that have the dates 

of when you can place materials out and 

what you can and can’t place out, please 

contact Council’s Waste Hotline on 9806 

5544. 

Illegal dumping 

Dumped rubbish can leak contaminates 

into our bushland, harming our plants, 

animals and landscape. It is an offence 

under the Protection of the Environment 

Operations Act 1997 for littering or 

dumping rubbish in the street, parks 

or reserves, and polluting waterways 

or drains. Council can fine individuals 

$750 or corporations $1500. The court 

can impose a maximum penalty of 

$120,000 for individuals and $250,000 

for corporations. 

If you see someone dumping rubbish, you 

should obtain details of the vehicle, time 

and location and contact Council on 

9806 5350. 

Noise 

Council and Police regulate noise such as 

loud music, power tools, lawn mowers, 

and noise from commercial and industrial 

premises. Council cannot regulate noise 

from motor vehicles entering or leaving 

residential premises and people talking or 

yelling. 

General noise restrictions apply from 

8pm - 7am Monday to Saturday, and 

from 8pm - 8am on Sundays and public 

holidays. This means appliances such as 

lawn mowers and power tools cannot 

be used during these times. You should 

speak to your neighbour before lodging 

a complaint with Council or the Police. 

You may also take out a private Noise 

Abatement Order through the Local 

Court. 

Loud music cannot be played on any 

night between midnight and 8am, 

however if at any time it is loud enough 

to cause disruption, you can complain to 

the Police or Council. 

For more information phone 9806 5444 

or visit www.epa.nsw.gov.au. 


Swimming pool fences 

Property owners are responsible for 

ensuring that privately owned swimming 

pools have an adequate child resistant 

barrier which meets the requirements of 

the Swimming Pool Act 1992. 

‘Guidelines to Swimming Pool Fencing’ 

outlines the requirements of the 

Swimming Pool Act. The Guidelines are 

available online at www.parracity.nsw. 

gov.au or phone 9806 5444. 

Removing and pruning trees on 

private property 

Contact Council before you remove or 

prune a tree on your property that is 

equal to or more than five metres in 

height and is not exempt under the Tree 

Preservation Order. 

Council permission is required to ensure 

the maintenance and sustainability of 

our urban environment and help make 

Parramatta a pleasant place to live. 

To remove or prune a tree you must 

submit a development application 

including associated fees. Application 

forms are available at www.parracity.nsw. 

gov.au or phone 9806 5050. 

Overgrown property 

Property owners and occupiers are 

responsible for the maintenance of their 

properties including the footpath area. 

A property is considered overgrown and 

a threat to public health and safety 

when the grass is approximately 50cm in 

height. 

To report an overgrown property, phone 

9806 5444. 

18 


ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE 

Parramatta City Council stages a range of 

community and major events. 

Annual events include: 

• Sydney Festival – January 

• Australia Day - January 

• Lunar New Year 

Twilight Festival – February 

• Parramatta Chess Festival - April 

• Sydney Writers Festival - May 

• Arab Film Festival - July 

• Winterlight - July 

• Naidoc Week - July 

• Junior Golf Pro-Am - September 

• Parramasala – November 

• Kidz Christmas Event – December 

• New Year’s Eve - December 

For more information contact the Major 

Events unit on 9806 5592 or visit 

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au. 

Discover Parramatta – all in one 

place! 

Discover Parramatta will help you find 

out about: 

• Events 

• Historical, sporting and cultural 

attractions 

• Accommodation, travel and transport 

• Special deals on the Freebies and 

Cheapies page 

• Over 300 dining options 

The Discover Parramatta website 

(www.discoverparramatta.com) highlights 

the entertainment, cultural and heritage 

attractions of this vibrant city. 

Parramatta Nights 

Whether you want to enjoy a meal, 

watch a show or just dance the night 

away, visit Parramatta Nights, your guide 

to bars, nightclubs, restaurants and late 

night venues in Parramatta. 

(www.parramattanights.com.au) 


Heritage & Visitor Information 

Centre 

Overlooking the Parramatta River, 

the Parramatta Heritage & Visitor 

Information Centre provides visitor 

information, a Local Studies Library and 

great exhibitions that tell the story of 

Parramatta’s rich indigenous, colonial 

and multicultural heritage through a 

combination of artifacts, art, archaeology 

and multimedia interactivities. 

The Centre is open 9am – 5pm seven 

days a week, and 10am – 4pm on 

public holidays (closed Good Friday and 

Christmas Day). The Local Studies and 

Family History Library is open 

10am – 5pm seven days a week and is 

closed public holidays. The Centre is at 

346A Church Street. Admission is free 

and wheelchair access is available. 

For more details, phone 8839 3311 or visit 

www.discoverparramatta.com 


Located on the banks of Parramatta River, 

Riverside Theatres is a major threetheatre 

complex situated in the Church 

Street restaurant precinct and is within 

walking distance to cheap parking and all 

major public transport outlets. 

Riverside showcases around 700 

performances, events and programs every 

year which cater for broad audiences. 

Visit the Riverside Theatres website at 

www.riversideparramatta.com.au or to 

make a booking call the Box Office on 

8839 3399. 

Parramatta Artists Studios 

Parramatta Artists Studios has a changing 

gallery showcasing local, national and 

international artists with an annual 

program of events, workshops, arts 

activities and exhibitions through 

the gallery. Activities revolve around 

the making, learning and sharing of 

contemporary visual arts in all its forms. 

Gallery hours 

Monday to Friday, 12pm - 4pm 

Free Admission 

Studio hours 

By appointment only 

For more information about the 

Parramatta Artists Studios, phone 

9687 6090. 

20 


Recreational activities and facilities 

Parramatta City Council provides many 

sporting and recreational facilities. 

Facilities include: 

• Swimming centres 

• 300 parks and reserves 

• Playgrounds 

• Skate facilities 

• Recreation centre 

• Community centres and halls 

• Tennis Courts 

• Woodville Golf Course 

Council has a number of public halls 

and community meeting rooms that are 

available to hire for social functions, 

weddings, parties, fundraisers, meetings, 

concerts and exhibitions. These venues 

can cater for groups up to 500 people 

and include: 

• Dundas Community Centre, Dundas 

• Ermington Community Centre, 

Ermington 

• Parramatta Town Hall, Parramatta 

• Granville Town Hall, Granville 

• Reg Byrne Community Hall, 

Wentworthville 

• Tom Collins Centre, Guildford 

For bookings, phone 9806 5141. 

School holiday activities 

Council provides an extensive activity 

program during the school holidays for 

children aged between 5-18 years as 

well as many other activities targeted 

at youth. These programs include 

sports clinics, craft and art workshops, 

information talks, traditional cultural 

games, excursions, learn-to-swim 

programs, homework help, youth drop-in, 

job club and many other section specific 

activities. 

For an activity guide or more details, 

phone 9806 5130. 


Granville Youth and Community 

Recreation Centre 

The Granville Youth and Community 

Recreation Centre offers programs for the 

local community including activities for 

youth, and a space for hire for functions 

and meetings. 

The centre plays host to forums, festivals, 

youth activities and educational programs 

such as homework help and job seeking 

services. 

Golf course 

Council operates Woodville Public Golf 

Course, which has 18 holes, a golf pro 

shop, golf lessons, tournaments and an 

upgraded 70 space car park. It is open 

every day from 6am until dark. Bookings 

are required on weekends. Fees apply. 

Woodville Golf Course 

118 Rawson Road, Guildford 

Phone 9632 3582 

For details about the current services and 

events, phone 9897 9578. 

The Centre is located at: 

3A Memorial Drive, Granville. 

Parks and reserves 

Parramatta has an extensive range of 

public open space parks and reserves, 

including small pocket-sized parks, 

foreshores, various sports and recreation 

grounds, culturally significant parks and 

significant urban bushland. 

For more information or to make use of 

the booking service for parks, phone 

9806 5140. 

Parramatta Park, run by Parramatta Park 

Trust, is the largest single open space in 

Parramatta. It has Old Government House, 

children’s playgrounds, history walking 

tours, picnic and BBQ areas and an event 

centre. 

Tennis courts 

Parramatta City Council provides tennis 

courts at nine locations throughout the 

local government area. These courts are 

available for hire on a permanent or 

casual basis, and all have floodlighting for 

use at night. Contact details can be found 

at the end of this document. 

22 


TRANSPORT 

Swimming pools 

There are two swimming pools located in 

the area: 

Granville Swimming Centre 

Enid Avenue, Granville 

Phone 9637 1593 

Facilities include a 50m Olympic pool, 

25m outdoor lap pool linked to a 

learn-to-swim program pool and an 

outdoor leisure pool with beach entry. 

All pools are heated. 

Parramatta Swimming Centre 

O’Connell Street, Parramatta 

Phone 9630 3669 

Facilities include a 50m Olympic pool, 

two water slides, splash pool for toddlers, 

picnic and barbecue areas, parking 

facilities, diving pool and diving towers. 

Opening hours: 

Summer 

From October to mid April 

Monday to Friday: 5am - 8pm 

Weekends and Public Holidays: 

7am - 6.45pm 

Operating hours may be extended during 

November to February 

Open 7 days a week 

(closed Good Friday and Christmas Day) 

Winter 

From mid April to September 

Monday to Friday: 5am - 6.45pm 

Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays: 

7am - 3.45pm (closed Public Holidays) 


TRANSPORT 

Car parking 

There is a variety of parking options in 

Parramatta, with a substantial amount of 

paid and free on and off-street parking 

available within the Parramatta local 

government area. 

There are over 10,000 publicly accessible 

parking spaces in the Parramatta city 

centre including both Council and 

privately controlled. The main Council 

car parks are Hunter Street, Wentworth 

Street, Erby Place, Horwood Place and 

Fennel Street. 

Residents’ parking scheme 

Council has introduced Parking Permit 

Schemes in parts of the Parramatta 

area near large employment areas and 

educational institutions so that on street 

parking is available to residents and their 

visitors. The Parking Permit Schemes 

are currently available in parts of North 

Parramatta, Parramatta, Harris Park, 

Rosehill, Granville, Westmead, Northmead 

and Dundas. 

The service operates every 10 minutes 

from: 

Monday to Friday: 7am - 6.30pm 

Saturday to Sunday: 8am - 4pm 

For more information visit 

www.131500.com.au or phone 131 500. 

Cycling 

Parramatta is a great place to ride a bike. 

By riding to work, you can reduce your 

environmental impact, improve your 

health and avoid sitting in traffic. 

Roads & Maritime Services produce Cycle 

Route maps that cover Parramatta. Phone 

1800 060 607 to obtain your free copy. 

Parramatta Free Shuttle Bus 

The Parramatta Free Shuttle Bus 

operates on a continuous loop around 

the city centre connecting the transport 

interchange, ferry wharf, Parramatta 

Pool, Parramatta Stadium, Westfield and 

Church Street. 

24 


Secure bike parking 

Secure bike parking is available in the 

Parramatta city centre car parks (Erby 

Place and Horwood Place). 

Each site has a secure bicycle storage 

area, lockers for personal items and 

change rooms including showers. Access 

is controlled by member swipe card and 

the storage areas are monitored by 24hr 

CCTV. 

Public transport 

The Parramatta Transport Interchange 

brings together bus and rail services and 

includes a taxi rank on Fitzwilliam Street. 

Bus services are provided to key regional 

centers including Castle Hill, Hornsby, 

Epping, Macquarie Park, Ryde, Sydney, 

Burwood, Hurstville, Sutherland, 

Bankstown, Liverpool, Blacktown, and 

Rouse Hill. The main rail line is the 

Western Line that connects to Penrith, 

Blacktown, Strathfield, Burwood, Sydney, 

Chatswood and Hornsby. In addition, 

there is the Blue Mountains line that 

provides faster services to Sydney as well 

as the Blue Mountains. The Cumberland 

Line connects directly to Liverpool 

and Campbelltown but is limited to a 

weekday peak period service. 

Parramatta Transport Interchange also 

offers a range of coach and rail services 

to regional NSW as well as interstate 

destinations. 

For public transport information 

including fares, timetables and ticketing 

visit www.131500.com.au or phone 131 

500. 

Ferries 

Parramatta Wharf is a 10 minute walk 

from the Parramatta city centre and 

takes 50 minutes to travel to Circular 

Quay (Sydney CBD). 


CONNECTING WITH COUNCIL 

Community Voice – Your Say, 

Our Future 

Parramatta City Council consults with its 

community on matters concerning the 

future direction of the City. You can join 

Council’s consultation panel, Community 

Voice, to have a say on matters that 

affect you and your local community. 

Community Voice is made up of members 

who live, visit, own a business or work 

within the Parramatta local government 

area. 

Members can contribute to Council 

decisions by taking part in short surveys, 

workshops or focus groups to provide 

feedback about particular issues. 

To be a member of Community Voice 

apply online at www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/ 

communityvoice or phone 9806 5084. 

Website 

A quick and easy way to access 

information about the City of Parramatta 

and your Council is to visit our website 

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au. 

You can pay your rates online, find out 

what’s on, view planned changes to the 

City centre, browse the library catalogue 

and the Riverside Theatres program. It 

also answers your most frequently asked 

questions on everything from waste and 

recycling services to dog registration. 

The website can be translated into your 

language by clicking the link at the 

bottom of the homepage. 

26 


Council contact numbers 

Customer Contact Centre 9806 5050 

Bookings (Halls, Parks) 9806 5140 

Development (Town Planning) 9806 5524 

Rates 9806 5541 

Waste, Recycling, Garden Waste 9806 5544 

Roadworks and Maintenance (Depot) 8839 4000 

Emergency (out of hours) 9806 5000 

Rates - 24 hour credit card line 13 18 16 

Early Learning Centres 

Dundas 9684 6715 

Francis Fisk 9682 6342 

Jubilee Park 9633 4468 

Northmead 9630 6755 

Possum Patch 9684 4471 

Home Support and Community Services 

Over 55s Leisure and Learning Service 9806 5128 

Meals on Wheels 9635 5293 

Community Assist Lawn Mowing Service 9806 5148 


Libraries 

Parramatta City Library 9806 5159 

Dundas 9638 1146 

Constitution Hill, Wentworthville 9896 2201 

Ermington 9638 2270 

Granville 9637 4270 

Guildford 9632 6744 

Parramatta Heritage & Visitor Information Centre 8839 3311 

Parramatta Riverside Theatres 

Box Office 8839 3399 

Tennis Courts 

Ermington Cowells La (Cowells La Res) 9858 1948 

Epping Midson Rd (David Scott Res) 9617 1723 

Granville Byrnes St 9682 1490 

North Parramatta Barton St (P.H Jeffery Res) 9683 1703 

Toongabbie Binalong Rd (Binalong Pk) 9896 3049 

Fitzwilliam Rd (Gallery Gardens) 9631 5375 

Winston Hills Clackmannon Rd (Caber Pk) 9686 7908 

Olympus St (Caroline Chisholm Pk) 0438 387 821 

Ixion St (Timbergetters Res) 0438 387 821 

28 


EMERGENCY & CRISIS SERVICES 

Emergency services 

Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Police 000 

Crimestoppers 1800 333 000 

Electricity emergencies 

Energy Australia 13 13 88 

Integral Energy 13 10 03 

Sydney Water 13 20 90 

AGL (for gas leaks, etc) 13 19 09 

State Emergency Services (Parramatta) 9890 9990 

Hospitals 

Westmead Hospital 9845 5555 

Cumberland Hospital 9840 3000 

The Children’s Hospital at Westmead 9845 0000 

Police stations 

Eastwood Police Station 9858 5944 

Ermington Police Station 9898 8299 

Granville Police Station 9760 6199 

Parramatta Police Station 9633 9633 

Wentworthville Police Station 9688 8499 

Crisis services (most are available 24 hours) 

Children and parenting 9716 8000 

Child Abuse Prevention Service 1800 688 009 

Kids Help Line 1800 551 800 

Kidsnet-Helpline 9845 2432 

Karitane Care Line 9794 1852 

Parent Line 13 20 55 

Tresillian Parent Help Line 9787 0855 


EMERGENCY & CRISIS SERVICES 

Counselling and support services 

Alcoholics Anonymous 9799 1199 

Lifeline 13 11 14 

Grief Support 9489 6644 

Gamblers Anonymous 9564 1574 

G-Line (Problem Gambling) 1800 633 635 / 

TTY 1800 633 649 

Salvo Care Line 9331 6000 

Salvo Suicide Prevention/Crisis Line 9331 2000 

Salvo Youth Line 9360 3000 

Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463 / 

TTY 1800 671 442 

If you are in immediate danger, call the Police on 000. 

Health 

Association of Relatives & Friends of the Mentally Ill (ARAFMI) 1800 655 198 

Alcohol and Drug Information Service 9361 8000 

Mental Health Information Service 1800 674 200 

Needle Clean Up Hotline 1800 633 353 

Poisons Information Line 13 11 26 

Refuges (in the Parramatta area) 

Men – Hope Hostel 9683 1630 

Women – Thelma Brown’s Cottage 9633 5429 

Young People – Parra House 9633 5429 

Sexual assault 

Rape Crisis Centre 24 Hours 1800 424 017 

Child Sexual Assault, Advice and Information 

(to report child abuse and neglect) 13 21 11 

Grevillea Cottage (Westmead Hospital) 9845 7940 

Parent Line 13 20 55 

Salvo Care Line 9331 6000 

Salvo Suicide Prevention/Crisis Line 9331 2000 

Salvo Youth Line 9360 3000 

30 


ADDITIONAL CONTACTS FOR MIGRANTS 

MIGRANT RESOURCE AND 

COMMUNITY CENTRES 

Migrant Resource and Community 

Centres in the Parramatta local 

government area provide information, 

programs and services on advocacy, 

education, training and community 

development for people from non-English 

speaking backgrounds. 

Boronia Multicultural Services Inc. 

10A Octavia Street, 

Toongabbie NSW 2146 

Phone 9631 1777 

www.bms.org.au 

Granville Multicultural 

Community Centre Inc. 

8 Factory Street 

Granville NSW 2142 

Phone 9637 7600 

www.gmcc.org.au 

Immigrant Women Speakout 

Association Inc. 

47 Albion Street 

Harris Park NSW 2150 

Phone 9635 8022 

www.speakout.org.au 

The Hills, Holroyd, Parramatta 

Migrant Resource Centre 

Level 4/1 Horwood Place 

Parramatta NSW 2150 

Phone 9687 9901 

www.thhpmrc.org.au 

For more detailed information on 

services and centres available for the 

multicultural community, visit 

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/play/facilities/ 

library/community_information 


Parramatta Swimming Pool 

11a O’Connell St, Parramatta 

Phone 9630 3669 

Northmead Redbank Children’s Centre 

2a Redbank Rd (Arthur Phillip Park), Northmead 

Phone 9630 6755 

Parramatta C 

Facil 

Constitution Hill Branch Library 

20 Hollis St, Wentworthville 

Phone 9896 2201 


353a Church St, Parramatta 

Box office 8839 3399 

Heritage and Information Centre 

346 Church St, Parramatta 

Phone 8839 3311 

Meals on Wheels 

Shop 4, Hunter St, Parramatta 

Phone 9635 5293 

Parramatta Artists Studios 

Shop 4, Hunter St Carpark, Hunter St, Parramatta 

Phone 9687 6090 

Jubilee Park Early Learning Centre 

18 Marion St (Jubilee Lane) Parramatta 

Phone 9633 4468 

Granville Library 

8 Carlton Street, Granville 

Phone 9637 4270 

Frances Fisk Early Learning Centre 

64 The Avenue, Granville 

Phone 9682 6342 

Guilford Library 

Railway Terrace, Guilford 

Phone 9632 6744 

Gra 

1a E 

Pho 

Woodville Golf Course 

118 Rawson Rd, Guildford 

Phone 9632 3582

ity Council 

ities 

Morton Street Depot 

1 Morton St, Parramatta 

Phone 8839 4005 

Dundas Library 

21 Sturt St, Dundas Valley 

Phone 9638 1146 

Dundas Early Learning Centre 

79 Calder Close, Rydalmere 

Phone 9684 6715 

Possum Patch Early Learning Centre 

12 Barlett St (Wemyss Park), Ermington 

Phone 9684 4471 

Ermington Library 

8a River Road (cnr Lister Street), Ermington 

Phone 9638 2270 

Parramatta Town Hall 

Council Chambers 

Parramatta Library 

Magnification 

of town centre 

Administration Building 

Parramatta Town Hall 

182 Church Street, Parramatta 

Phone 9806 5141 

Council Chambers 

Level 3, 2 Civic Place, Parramatta 

Phone 9806 5050 

Administration Building 

30 Darcy Street, Parramatta 

Phone 9806 5050 

nville Swimming Pool 

nid Ave, Granville 

ne 9637 1593 

Parramatta Library 

1b Civic Place, Parramatta 

Phone 9806 5164 

Granville Youth and Community Centre 

3a Memorial Dr, Granville 

Phone 9897 9578

Parramatta City Council 

30 Darcy Street 


PO Box 32 


Phone: 9806 5050 

Fax: 9806 5900 

Email: council@parracity.nsw.gov.au 

Web: www.parracity.nsw.gov.au 

Follow us on 

and 

Facebook: Parramatta City Council 

Discover Parramatta 

Parramatta Heritage Centre 

Twitter: @parracity Parramatta City Council 

@discoverparra Discover Parramatta 

@parralibrary Parramatta Library 

@parraheritage Parramatta Heritage & Visitor Information Centre 

@riversideparra Riverside Theatres

A Guide to Council Services - Parramatta City Council

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