Penrith City Council has delivered a new kayak launch deck in Leonay. The new deck on River Road features an upper and lower platform to make it easier for paddlers to enter the water, along with a new boardwalk and pathway from the road.

This launch deck is the first deck to be built on the southern side of the M4, making it even easier to access and explore the stunning Nepean Gorge, one of the river’s most popular paddling spots.

Check out the ‘Latest News’ section of this page for the latest project updates.

This project was jointly funded by the NSW Government in association with Penrith City Council.

Kayaker on the new launch deck in Leonay

The Our River Master Plan was developed with the local community in 2013 to provide Penrith City Council with a strategic framework for managing the river reach and associated infrastructure.

The Master Plan outlined a shared vision to celebrate, activate and protect the Nepean River and outlined key actions to connect it with the city centre, enhance its natural environment, support active and healthy lifestyles while celebrating its rich history and cultural values.

A series of planning and design principles were developed to form the strategic framework for the masterplan. These principles built upon the constraints and opportunities identified through the site analysis and community consultation:

  • Our Accessible River: addressing access, circulation and wayfinding
  • Our Active River: addressing recreational and leisure opportunities
  • Our Cultural River: addressing the river’s rich heritage and the celebration of river culture
  • Our Healthy River: addressing the river’s natural environment on land and water
  • Our Managed River: addressing management and maintenance of the river.

The delivery of a new kayak launch deck will be another step towards creating the ‘Our Active River’ envisioned in the Our River Master Plan in 2013.

You can learn more about the Our River Master Plan at penrith.city/nepeanriver.

Concept Design (2023)

Survey

Key features

  • Factory Road Reserve, Regentville

    Concept designs for the project at Factory Road Reserve include a new launch deck, access paths connecting the car park down to the water’s edge, a viewing deck, bench seating and landscaping. 

  • River Road, Leonay

    At River Road, the project includes the construction of a new launch deck and access path to the water’s edge, with informal sandstone seating and planting of new trees along the embankment.

Interactive Map