Paddington Reservoir Gardens

Paddington Reservoir Gardens is a heritage-listed sunken garden in Paddington, Sydney, created from a former 19th-century water reservoir. Located on Oxford Street, it preserves the brick vaults and iron columns of the 1866 reservoir, which was decommissioned in 1899 and later conserved as a public park. Opened in 2009, the gardens combine conserved industrial ruins with contemporary boardwalks, lawns and water features.

Visitors can expect a sunken, partly roofed garden set within the conserved brick arches, vaults and iron columns of the former reservoir. Elevated timber boardwalks and stairways allow exploration above and below ground level, with lawns, ponds, and planted beds integrated into the ruins. The site is compact and tranquil, surrounded by Oxford Street and heritage terraces, offering opportunities for sightseeing, photography and quiet relaxation with interpretive signage explaining the reservoir's history.