The 6th IUCN World Parks Congress was held at Sydney Olympic Park in Nov. 2014. Last held in South Africa in 2004 the Congress attracted 5,000 delegates from 160 countries.
Noel made the presentation in a new stream titled “Improving Health and Wellbeing: Healthy Parks Healthy People”. Western Sydney Parklands was used to illustrate why urban parks matter in creating healthy and liveable cities. The presentation was made in collaboration with Suellen Fitzgerald, Director of the Parramatta Park and Western Sydney Parklands Trusts. Noel was first involved with the Parklands ten years ago when he led a visioning process that led to the creation of the Parklands and Trust. The Congress provided an opportunity to reflect on lessons to be learnt from development of the 5,280 ha Parklands in the rapidly developing western area of Sydney.