Paddington Reservoir Gardens

First published on 1 Apr 2009. Updated on 15 Apr 2011.

One of Sydney's most top-secret art grottoes and unique abandoned spaces has been reborn this month. The Paddington Reservoir, built 142 years ago, was decommissioned in 1914 and became a garage. In 1993, the servo's roof caved-in, leaving the site derelict but for hordes of feral cats and a shadowy graffiti movement who under the cover of night filled the walls of the 1023-square-metre site with stunning frescoes and murals.
Now, with almost $10 million worth of restoration work complete, Time Out can reveal what lurks within the new Paddington Reservoir Gardens: a stunning Romanesque sunken garden with a lake of contemplation at its centre and a hanging garden canopy around the perimeter and an eastern chamber left empty but for the wall art. This blank canvas 'cultural precinct' will host markets, art and film festivals.

With its immaculate gardens, boardwalk, lighting and furniture, Paddington Reservoir Gardens offers a relaxing oasis for the community to enjoy in the heart of Paddington.

It has been described as a combination of the Baths of Caracalla and The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The roof-top features a stunning sunken garden; vibrant graffiti art has been preserved in the eastern chamber which provides a new space for community and cultural activities; and special lighting highlights the beautiful new timber work and stunning stone of the reservoir.
The Gardens sit over the State Heritage listed Paddington Reservoir. Designed by the City Engineer, Edward Bell, the Paddington Reservoir was built between 1866 and 1878 and was a key element in Sydney’s early water supply.

The park on top of the reservoir is named Walter Read Reserve, after a former Mayor of Paddington, and the small park adjacent, the John Thompson Reserve, after the poet and journalist who was a founding member of the Paddington Society.


Cnr Oxford & Oatley Sts, Paddington