Moore Park light rail station

Moore Park
The station viewed from the footbridge in 2022
General information
Location	Anzac Parade, Moore Park Sydney, New South Wales Australia
Coordinates	33°53′36.07″S151°13′18.2″E / 33.8933528°S 151.221722°E / -33.8933528; 151.221722 (Moore Park light rail station)
Owned by	Transport NSW
Operated by	Transdev Sydney
Line(s)	CBD and South East Light Rail
Platforms	2 (1 island)
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Website	Transport for NSW
History
Opened	14 July 1880(145 years ago) (1880-07-14) (as tram) 14 December 2019(5 years ago) (2019-12-14) (as light rail)
Closed	1959(66 years ago) (1959) (as tram)
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station Sydney Light Rail Following station Surry Hills towards Circular Quay Randwick Line Royal Randwick towards Randwick Kingsford Line ES Marks towards Juniors Kingsford
Location

Moore Park light rail station is a light rail station located on the CBD and South East Light Rail, serving the Sydney suburb of Moore Park. It is served by L2 Randwick Line and L3 Kingsford Line services, and is the last station out of the Sydney CBD before the two lines split into separate branches.

History

First iteration

The original Moore Park tram stop was first served by trams when the Coogee tramway line was built from Elizabeth Street to Randwick, opening on 14 July 1880. ^[1] The first recorded balloon loop in the world was constructed along Driver Avenue on the outside of Moore Park to facilitate greater efficiency in providing tram services during special events and decrease traffic congestion, by eliminating the need to reverse trams. ^[2] The loop rejoined the main line at MacArthur Avenue. ^[3]

In order to further ease congestion at the park, another tram loop from Flinders Street to the Sydney Cricket Ground was opened on 8 September 1906. ^[4] A further loop was provided around Gregory Avenue within the park, and both Gregory and MacArthur Avenues were used as sidings capable of storing 200 tram cars without interference of main line services. ^[3]

The Royal Easter Show at the Sydney Showground was held annually over the Easter weekend, and tram services were intensified with special services running at this time to accommodate the increase in passengers. Single-day tram patronage during this period grew from a record of 32,000 in 1896, to 170,000 in the early 1930s. ^[5] Special services were run from both Circular Quay and Railway Square. ^[3] A service to convey dogs also operated from Bridge Street to the Showground during special events. ^[6]

From 1948, buses replaced trams on services to the cricket ground from Railway Square, though trams were reintroduced along this route in 1952. ^[7] The Rugby league grand final held on 21 September 1957, was the last sporting event served by special trams. The final use of the tracks through and around Moore Park was on 14 September 1959, when 14,500 schoolgirls were transported by 109 trams to meet Princess Alexandra at the cricket ground. ^[7]

Second iteration

The current Moore Park station opened on 14 December 2019, when the L2 Randwick Line from Circular Quay to Randwick was opened.

The light rail station under construction in April 2019

Design

The station's design experienced a number of modifications. Initially, an overhead concourse was proposed for access to the station during special events with at-grade access at other times. School students would have used the existing footpath and pedestrian crossing of Anzac Parade. ^[8]

In the project's Submissions Report, the station was moved 250 metres (820 ft) south and a pedestrian bridge over Anzac Parade and the light rail tracks was included in the design, replacing an existing at-grade crossing of the road and an associated set of traffic lights. The bridge was to be connected to the concourse. ^[9] In December 2014, the overhead concourse was removed, with underground access for major events provided at both ends of the platform. At-grade access will be used by disabled passengers during major events and by all passengers at other times. The bridge will now be a separate structure. As a result of the decision to increase the length of the trams, plans to run double length trams during major events were abandoned. Consequently, the platform length was reduced from 90 metres (295 ft) to 75 metres (246 ft). ^{[10] [11]}

Community submissions responding to the changes in the Modifications Report raised concerns about the safety of a large number of school students crossing the tracks during peak schools hours. In response, TfNSW stated that it will consider opening the subways during these hours. ^[12] A condition of approval for the changes proposed in the Modifications Report requires the preparation of "a safety case demonstrating, to the satisfaction of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator, that schoolchildren can safely access the Moore Park stop during peak school start and finish times". ^[13]

Services

In regular service the station serves Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Girls High School and The Entertainment Quarter. The station is also designed to handle major events at the Sydney Football Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground, with grade separated access to the platform. During major events, special services operate between Central Chalmers Street and Moore Park, with some services extending to Randwick. ^[14] At-grade access to the station is provided for regular use and for disabled passengers during major events. ^[11] The design features a 75-metre (246 ft) island platform.

Line	Stopping pattern	Notes
L2	services to Randwick via Royal Randwick	[15]
L3	services to Kingsford via Kensington	[16]

References

1. Opening dates of Sydney tramway extensions. No. 1. Trolley Wire No. 11. December 1952, p.3
2. Prescott, T. Sydney's Tramway Turning Loops. Trolley Wire No. 359. November 2019. p.3-15
3. Timmony, P.J. Handling of Heavy Traffic on Special Occasions: Sydney Tramways (23 March 1934). Trolley Wire No. 319. November 2009, p.3-7
4. Sports Ground Tram. Evening News (Sydney, NSW: 1869-1931). 10 September 1906. p.4, accessed 29 August 2025
5. UNPRECEDENTED TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY TRAFFIC The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954). Trove, National Library of Australia. 7 April 1896. p.5, accessed 29 August 2025
6. TRAM TIMETABLES FOR RACES AND SHOW. The Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW: 1924-1938). Trove, National Library of Australia. 20 April 1935. p.6, accessed 29 August 2025
7. Clark, H. Countdown to Oblivion: the destruction of a once mighty tramway system. Trolley Wire No. 324. February/March 2011, p.5-6, 11
8. Parsons Brinkerhoff. "Chapter 5 – Part A" (PDF). CBD and South East Light Rail – Environmental Impact Statement. Transport for NSW. pp. 5–18 to 5–57.
9. "CBD and South East Light Rail – Submissions Report, incorporating Preferred Infrastructure Report - Vol.1: Chapter 6 Preferred Infrastructure Report" (PDF). Transport for NSW. March 2014. pp. 6–16 to 6–18, 6-28 to 6-31, 6-38 to 6-44. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
10. "CBD and South East Light Rail improvements to deliver a better service for customers". Transport for NSW. 2 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
11. "CBD and South East Light Rail – Modifications Report" (PDF). Transport for NSW. pp. 10–11, 17–21, 25, 46–49, 52. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
12. Brinckerhoff, Parsons (29 January 2015). "CBD and South East Light Rail Project State Significant Infrastructure Approval (SSI – 6042) Submissions Report to Project Modification" (PDF). Transport for NSW. pp. 94–95.
13. "Modification of Minister's Approval Section 1152;1of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979" (PDF). Department of Planning & Environment. 17 February 2015. p. 7.
14. Moore Park Light Rail Stop Transport for NSW, accessed 29 March 2025
15. "Randwick Line". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
16. "Kingsford Line". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 29 March 2025.