Why Parramatta's changing riverfront is attracting a new wave of apartment buyers

Since 1839, a heritage-listed sandstone arch built by stonemason David Lennox has spanned the Parramatta River, marking the point where the city meets the water. On 7 November, that stretch of riverbank gains a new landmark when Powerhouse Parramatta opens its doors.

The museum joins a city centre that has steadily filled out around the river. Church Street’s Eat Street has become a dining destination in its own right, the foreshore has been reshaped as a place to walk and linger, and World Heritage-listed Parramatta Park is only a short stroll away.

As more of daily life has moved within walking distance of the river, living right in the middle of it has started to appeal to people who have spent years on its edges. For long-time locals in larger homes, the move is becoming easier to picture: less house and garden to look after, without leaving the area or giving up the comfort and space they’re used to.

Beside the bridge that gave it its name, The Lennox rises 46 levels from the riverbank at 12 Phillip Street. The completed tower holds 413 residences above a podium of boardwalk dining and retail that opens directly onto the water. Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta and Church Street are all within walking distance, as are Parramatta Railway Station, the light rail, the ferry wharf, Parramatta Park and the stadium.

Inside, the residences span one to four bedrooms, with open-plan layouts that lead out to generous balconies. Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames outlooks across the river or the city skyline, and finishes include engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and full-height tiled bathrooms.

Architect Marchese Partners, which completed the design development, describes a building that responds directly to its riverside setting through expansive glazing and open-plan living. The aim, it says, was to pair the kind of amenity associated with five-star hotels with practical, liveable layouts suited to long-term owner-occupiers.

That amenity is where much of what a house once provided now lives. Watermark, a 20-metre pool, offers somewhere to swim without a pool to maintain. A dedicated gym and fitness studio overlook a landscaped garden, and The Terrace provides a rooftop-style space for entertaining or catching up with neighbours. When family gatherings outgrow the apartment, The Lounge Room and a function room extend the space for celebrations. A full-time concierge and secure basement parking round out a setting designed for lock-and-leave living.

According to the sales team, visitors are often surprised by the quality of the finishes and describe the shared spaces as feeling closer to a luxury hotel than a typical apartment building. The views come up consistently, as does how connected everything feels on foot.

Because the building is finished, there is no waiting and no guesswork. Buyers can walk through the actual residences and shared facilities before committing, and private appointments are available on site. For anyone weighing up the sale of a long-held family home, seeing exactly what comes next can make the decision considerably easier.

Getting around is set to become easier still. Sydney Metro West is targeting a 2032 opening, and its Parramatta station is expected to bring the Sydney CBD within about 20 minutes by rail. The M4 Motorway is also close by. Parramatta’s role as a place of work is already well established: the city has grown to claim the second-largest commercial office footprint in the state, behind only the Sydney CBD itself.

For Equitifund founder Greg Huxley, it is the evolution of the city itself that makes the location compelling.

“Parramatta has evolved into a destination in its own right, with a growing cultural, dining and lifestyle offering that’s changing the way people think about living in Western Sydney,” he said. “The Lennox reflects that shift, offering buyers the opportunity to enjoy premium riverside living with the convenience and amenity of an established city centre.”

Equitifund national sales director Ben Hamblett says the response from those who have already made the move tends to follow a familiar pattern.

“Ask anyone who has made the move to Parramatta and the answer is almost always the same: they wish they had done it sooner,” he said. “The people arriving are not moving away from something — they are moving toward it.”