Macquarie University - Campus

Campus

Macquarie University's main campus is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north-west of the Sydney CBD and is set on 126 hectares of rolling lawns and natural bushland. Located within the high-technology corridor of Sydney's north-west and in close proximity to Macquarie Park and its surrounding industries, Macquarie's location has been crucial in its development as a relatively research intensive university. The university is straddled between the suburbs of North Ryde and the later developed technology and industry focused Macquarie Park; however, the campus has its own postcode, 2109.

Prior to the development of the campus, most of the site was cultivated with peach orchards, market gardens and poultry farms. The university’s first architect-planner was Walter Abraham, one of the first six administrators appointed to Macquarie University. As the site adapted from its former rural use to a busy collegiate environment, he implemented carefully designed planting programs across the campus. Abraham established a grid design comprising lots of 300 square feet (28 m2) running north-south, with the aim of creating a compact academic core. The measure of 300 feet (91 m) was seen as one minute's walk, and grid design reflected the aim of having a maximum walk of 10 minutes between any two parts of the university. The main east-west walkway that runs from the research park through to the arts faculty buildings, was named Wally's Walk in recognition of Walter Abraham's contribution to the development of the university.

Today, Macquarie University is served by the Macquarie University railway station, which opened in 2009, as well as a bus interchange within the campus that provides close to 800 bus services daily. The M2 Motorway runs parallel to the northern boundary of the campus and is accessible to traffic from the university. Apart from its centres of learning, the campus features the Macquarie University Research Park, museums, art galleries, a sculpture park, an observatory, a sport and aquatic centre, a fauna park and also the private Macquarie University Hospital. Located to the north of the main campus area are the university sports grounds.

The university is currently undertaking a large infrastructure and capital works program that will see an investment of over $1 billion into new buildings and projects across the campus and has set up an Office of Major Projects to oversee the new developments. The major projects include the development of a new university library, a Hearing Hub and the global headquarters of Cochlear Limited, redevelopment of the student services building and new student accommodation facilities. Macquarie is also seeking to develop the eastern perimeter of its campus along Herring Road and establish a new Station Precinct that will contain a number of multi-storey towers, basement car parking and a ground plane that will provide retail and landscaped connections to the university proper. It is anticipated that the Station Precinct will act as a new commercial front door to the campus.