Argyle Bailey Reserve has reopened after months of construction. The Hawkesbury landmark now features new walking paths, a picnic area with barbecue facilities, upgraded public amenities, and improved drainage and parking.
The rebuild carries a price tag of roughly $2.65 million, funded through three sources: $2.23 million from the Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Program, $330,000 from the Community Assets Program, and $87,661 from Hawkesbury City Council itself. The first two programs are jointly run by the federal and NSW governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, set up to repair and rebuild community infrastructure damaged in the 2021 and 2022 disasters that hit the region.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the funding reflected the Albanese government’s approach to disaster recovery: not just patching up what was lost, but leaving communities better equipped than before. She pointed to the reserve as proof of what happens when different levels of government pull in the same direction.
NSW Recovery Minister Janelle Saffin made a similar point, arguing that community spaces like Argyle Bailey do more than look nice — they’re where people reconnect after a disaster has scattered them. She said the finished reserve is now more accessible and more resilient, and credited ongoing state and federal work with councils across NSW to rebuild after natural disasters.
Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman, whose electorate takes in the Hawkesbury, called the reserve a much-loved fixture for locals and visitors alike. She noted the upgrade followed earlier riverbank restoration and stabilisation work at the site, funded through the same federal-state partnership.
Hawkesbury Mayor Les Sheather cut the ribbon on the project this week, describing it as a transformation that leaves the reserve more attractive and easier to use. He said the new facilities give families and visitors somewhere to gather and unwind by the river, while the upgraded drainage and parking should keep the site functioning well for years to come.