M6 Stage 1: Connecting Kogarah to the M8

This project includes:

• a four kilometre tunnel to connect President Avenue at Kogarah to the M8 motorway at Arncliffe

• upgrading parks and facilities at Ador Reserve Precinct, McCarthy Reserve, and Brighton Memorial Playing Fields

• new facilities and open space at Marsh Street in Arncliffe and Rockdale Bicentennial Park

• substantial improvements to the road network, including an upgrade to President Avenue and the intersection off Princes Highway.

• new pedestrian and cycle paths that will link to other active transport routes, including a bridge over President Avenue.

The project is scheduled for completion in late 2025.

The construction will impact your access to public space and facilities at Rockdale Bicentennial Park with access removed in February 2022. At the end of the project this open space will be reinstated. Next year you will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the design of this space.

The new community facilities at McCarthy Reserve, Brighton Memorial Playing Fields and Ador Reserve Precinct (former Rockdale Bowling Club) have been built by Transport for NSW to offset the area being used for construction.

Take a tour of the new parks and facilities

There will be significant changes to Rockdale Bicentennial Park as the construction site is established and will include some vegetation removal. Assessments regarding environmental and visual landscape impacts were undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Statement.  

As part of this process, Transport for NSW examined biodiversity, visual landscape and contamination in the project area and has devised mitigation strategies to minimise possible impacts.  

This includes:

• a tree management strategy will also be developed including measures to offset the loss of trees and achieve a net increase in tree canopy

• a protected exclusion zone around the wetland will be retained and protected within Bicentennial Park and other key construction sites with supplementary tree planting and screening provided along President Avenue to offset the tree removal

• the area surrounding the tunnel portal and entry and exit ramps will be planted with a variety of vegetation to reflect the nearby wetlands and parkland species near the conclusion of construction

• plans are in place such as the development of a biodiversity offset strategy and construction flora and fauna management plan to protect threatened ecological communities present in the project area

• a Sustainability Management Plan will be implemented to protect and enhance the natural environment and local heritage

• an Urban Design and Landscape Plan will be prepared in consultation with Council and the local community to revitalise and return open space areas to the community

• in line with environmental approvals, Transport for NSW will incorporate water-sensitive urban design principles as part of the detailed design process, including maximising the integration of existing and enhanced water features into open space such as enhancements to Scarborough Ponds, Rockdale Wetland, Rockdale Bicentennial Ponds and other waterways.

You can learn more about the newly upgraded facilities, park closure, investigation work, construction site establishment and environmental mitigation strategies in the Summer 2022 project update or the M6 Stage 1 web portal.

Take a tour of the new parks and facilities

Brighton Memorial Playing Fields

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• upgraded full-size synthetic field
• new mid-sized grass field
• new play area
• new memorial garden
• new lawn areas
• new amenities building including changing rooms, canteen and public amenities
• fencing around playing fields
• tree planting and landscaping
• upgraded car park with increased capacity
• new and upgraded lighting for improved security
• new access arrangement for Sybil Lane to improve safety.

Take the interactive digital tour of the new Brighton Memorial Playing Fields to learn more about new facilities – for the best experience use your smartphone.  

Ador Reserve Precinct and McCarthy Reserve

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• upgraded full-sized synthetic field
• new mid-sized grass field
• new inclusive playground with new equipment and BBQ area
• new skate park
• new amenities building including changing rooms, canteen and public amenities
• new and upgraded lighting for improved security
• fencing around playing fields
• tree planting and landscaping
• new shared cyclist and pedestrian pathway
• new pedestrian bridge over Muddy Creek
• upgrade to West Botany Street Bridge to include a shared cyclist and pedestrian pathway
• relocated car park with increased capacity
• new vehicle access off West Botany Street.

Consultation with our community

Transport for NSW engaged our community on the design of the M6 Stage 1 tunnel, design of three upgraded community facilities and the establishment of the tunnel construction sites.

Community feedback on the design was included in the Environmental Impact Statements. Since then, Transport for NSW and their contractors, CGU have prepared draft concept plans for new open spaces at Marsh Street in Arncliffe and Rockdale Bicentennial Park for Council feedback.  

At the 3 November 2021 Council meeting, Council endorsed the concept plans for Marsh Street Open Space and Rockdale Bicentennial Park (refer to page 140).

These plans are being refined further and will be available for public consultation in early 2023.

To stay informed, please subscribe to receive project updates.

Ador Reserve Precinct and Marsh Street Open Space

Our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) will reshape the way we name our places moving forward. We will encourage and promote recognition of Aboriginal place names and to foster the more frequent use of these names, particularly for new places.

This change also aligns with the Geographical Names Board of NSW Place Naming Policy, which also promotes recognition of Aboriginal cultural heritage by registering the original place names given to features on the land that relates to the ancestors, histories, law and lore of its people. 

As part of the process Council will also consult with the Local Aboriginal Land Council and relevant Aboriginal communities on new Aboriginal place names. It is hoped the first two parks to follow the new process will be: 

Temporary Name: Ador Reserve Precinct

Address: Bay and West Botany Street, Rockdale.  It is also known as the former Rockdale Bowling Club.

Temporary Name: Marsh St Open Space

Address: Marsh St, Arncliffe.  It is also known as the M8 and M6 tunnel construction site.  
More information about this will be available in the coming weeks.

For detailed project information visit the M6 Stage 1 web portal or subscribe to receive project updates.

Quick links:

• project updates
• interactive map for information about construction activities and the tunnel alignment 
• videos and images.