Peace Park

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is possibly the best park in the Inner West from which to get a sweeping view of the surrounds. It is situated high up in Ashbury on the site of the old brickyard and gives visitors a unique view of many of Sydney's inner suburbs.



What's more, a viewing tower has been erected on top of the hill, broadening the vista even further. The platform is big enough that you could even sit up there quite comfortably on a blanket and perhaps read.



More like a 360 degree viewing platform, while it provides the best views towards Canterbury, you can even spot the Sydney Harbour Bridge from there on a fine day.



Despite its clear appeal, is not a well-known park. It is a little off the main drag, located to one side of the sleepy residential suburb of Ashbury.



This location helps the park to live up to its name however, as it is a quiet spot, perfect to chill out and think. Locals tend to use the park for relaxing in the day or watching the changing light and shadows as the sun sets of an evening.



There are scattered seats around the park, lots of grassy areas and a looping walking path.



There is also a popular children's play area and this area is consistently the busiest part of the park. There are also toilets on site which are open throughout the better part of the day, so this is handy also.



There is a decent car park beside the children's area in Peace Park. This is handy considering the site is not located close to much public transport.



A unique feature of the park is that it is the site of a buried time capsule that will not be opened until the year 2043. The time capsule was buried in 1993 during celebrations marking 200 years of European settlement in the Canterbury area.

Present day attractions aside, has a little history to it. It is located at the northern boundary of the first ever land grant given within the Canterbury area. The grant, comprised of 100 acres, was given in 1793 to the Reverend Richard Johnson - who was the chaplain of the first fleet.

Two years later, 38 acres of that was in cultivation, growing a mix of wheat, stone fruit, citrus and even almonds and guavas. He also kept sheep and goats.



The agricultural diversity created on the land by Reverend Johnson, paints a sharp contrast to the built-up and densely populated nature of the Inner West today. And how different again will it be when the time capsule is opened in in a few decades from now?

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