Where pedestrians come first

Sydney's next great pedestrian precinct

Crows Nest is well placed to become Sydney's next great pedestrian precinct. By drawing on the city's most successful street transformations, it can create a vibrant, people-first high street that supports growth, encourages local business and enriches everyday life.

Successful examples

The suburban high-street pivot

Victoria Avenue, Chatswood

A bustling suburban mall that completely shuts out cars, serving as the primary pedestrian conduit between a major transport interchange and dense residential towers.

Victoria Avenue, Chatswood on market day — crowds, stalls and flags fill the street — Chatswood Mall market

Key takeaway: Victoria Avenue demonstrates how a high-density area can use a pedestrian corridor for open-air markets, pop-up events, and everyday community seating — preventing the 'concrete jungle' feel.

The fine-grain retail model

The Corso, Manly

This highly successful, pedestrian-only strip connects the harbour to the ocean beach and is bordered by low-to-medium-scale heritage and modern storefronts, much like Willoughby Road.

In the early 1970s, many shops sat empty due to competition from the Warringah Mall but when pedestrianised in 1979, The Corso started to boom.

The Corso, Manly, today — a pedestrian-only strip full of people, markets and palm trees — After

Key takeaway: The Corso excels at integrating wide open walking paths with central 'islands' for mature trees, street seating and water features. It proves that removing vehicles from a shopping street creates a family-friendly space where people linger — benefiting small retail.

Kiaora Lane, Double Bay

Kiaora Lane was a Woollahra Council and Woolworths joint venture which transformed a traffic-dominated service lane into paved pedestrian plaza with a new library, supermarket, retail and around 450 car spaces.

It was opened in 2016 as a shared zone but was quickly closed to traffic because it was so popular. It's now bustling meeting place, packed with cafés.

Kiaora Lane, Double Bay — outdoor dining under striped umbrellas on a pedestrianised laneway — Open-air dining under umbrellas

Kiaora Lane, Double Bay — a busy laneway cafe scene with outdoor tables — A buzzing lunchtime laneway

Key takeaway: Kiaora Lane shows how quickly a shared zone can earn its permanent pedestrian status — it was closed to traffic almost as soon as it opened, simply because people preferred it that way. It's a strong precedent for Crows Nest Place: once people experience Willoughby Road car-free, the case for keeping it that way tends to make itself.

The transit-oriented transformation

George Street, Sydney CBD

Once heavily congested and not pedestrian friendly, George Street was reclaimed section-by-section to create a massive pedestrian boulevard integrated with mass transit.

George Street before — lanes choked with buses and cars — Before

George Street today — a pedestrian boulevard with street trees, seating and light rail — After

Key takeaway: This provides the exact model for handling the new Crows Nest Metro Station foot traffic. George Street proved that swapping traffic lanes for high-quality granite paving, simplifying intersections and planting massive tree canopies, can turn a chaotic commuter path into an active, pedestrian friendly CBD corridor.

Key strategies used by these models

Paving uniformity

Replace bitumen on closed blocks with high-quality stone to signal that the space belongs to humans, not cars.

Outdoor dining parity

Streamline council permits so restaurants on Willoughby Road can expand seamlessly into the reclaimed street area.

Green infrastructure

Plant intensive lines of shade trees down the former centre line of the road to lower temperatures.

An overseas example

The village high-street model

Pavilion Road, Chelsea, London

Once a service lane of garages and back entrances in Chelsea, Pavilion Road has been transformed into one of London's most loved pedestrian streets — a narrow, village-style lane lined with independent bakeries, cheesemongers, florists, cafés and restaurants that spill out onto the street.

Pavilion Road, London before — a service lane of garages and parked cars — Before

Pavilion Road, London today — a pedestrian street full of outdoor dining, bunting and shoppers — After

Key takeaway: Pavilion Road proves that even a modest back street can become a destination. By prioritising independent operators, generous outdoor seating and a human scale, a single reclaimed lane can anchor a whole neighbourhood — exactly the opportunity Willoughby Road presents for Crows Nest.

Let's create a place where people have room to breathe, connect and belong.

Crows Nest is becoming a more connected and vibrant urban centre. Let's make Willoughby Road a greener, connected open space with better pedestrian infrastructure, ensuring growth brings more opportunity — not less liveability.

Sign the petition