Council recognised at 2023 National Trust Heritage Awards

Two heritage projects from Penrith City Council made the shortlist for the highly anticipated 29th annual National Trust Heritage Awards, held on May 12, 2023.

The list featured more than 40 rich and diverse heritage projects spanning across New South Wales.

The National Trust Heritage Awards are an annual celebration of outstanding practice, awarding excellence in conservation of Aboriginal, built, natural or cultural heritage.

Penrith Heritage Walk was shortlisted in the Education and Conservation category and invites visitors and locals to step into Penrith’s past and discover more about the city’s history through a fascinating 11-kilometre walk from Penrith to Emu Plains. Starting from the historic Penrith Train Station, the walk provides an opportunity to learn about some of the most treasured sites in the city. The walk winds through Penrith, along the beautiful Nepean River and across to Emu Plains.

The walk can be completed in one day, or be broken up into sections, and participants are encouraged to take their time, enjoy the views, stop in at cafés, parks and attractions along the way, and enjoy each step as they become acquainted with the places, spaces and people that have helped shape the Penrith of today.

Shortlisted in the Adaptive Re-use category, the historic Police Cottage at Emu Plains opened to the public for the first time in March 2023 as a vibrant dining destination, following an adaptive reuse of the site into a restaurant to enhance its connection to the Nepean River.

Originally built in 1908, the Police Cottage was sensitively restored by Penrith City Council to blend heritage and modern dining to deliver a café and restaurant, with outside seating and stunning views of the Nepean River. Thanks to an innovative idea by Council, the century-long history of this important local heritage feature will be celebrated, conserved, and enjoyed for generations to come.

The restoration works of the Police Cottage stands as an example of great adaptive reuse of a beautiful heritage building within Penrith that will foster opportunities for the public to experience a taste of history while enjoying a coffee or a meal on the banks of the Nepean.

The National Trust Heritage Awards are a signature event of the Australian Heritage Festival. The Australian Heritage Festival is coordinated by the National Trust and supported by the NSW Government through Heritage NSW.