Ku-ring-gai Council | Swain Gardens, Killara

Project update

Update August 2026:

At the 18 August 2026 Ordinary Meeting of Council, Council will consider a report regarding the Swain Gardens Plan of Management.

The report updates Council on the results of the public exhibition, and seeks Council adoption of the finalised plan which has been amended based on community feedback.

For more information, read the Council report.

Update May 2026:

Feedback was received from 5 people. Feedback included requests for experienced horticultural staff resources for maintenance, repair and maintenance works to be actioned and accompanying conservation management and landscape masterplans for the site.

Feedback is now being considered to help finalise the updated Plan of Management.

See our community engagement snapshot for more information.

Overview

CONSULTATION IS CLOSED

Share your feedback on the updated management plan for Swain Gardens.

Council has updated the site-specific Plan of Management for Swain Gardens, Killara.

Swain Gardens is located at 77 Stanhope Road, Killara. It was created as a domestic garden within a bushland setting during the 1940s to 1960s, by Arthur Newling (Mick) Swain. The materials and planting in the garden are highly significant of the period, and reflects a vision of the ‘English Garden’. The garden is currently used for informal recreation, functions, and ornamental plant species conservation.

Project background

Under the Local Government Act 1993 and the Crown Land Management Act 2016, Council is required to prepare a Plan of Management (PoM) to guide the management of any public land classified as ‘community land’.

The Swain Gardens PoM was last updated in 1996. You can read the 1996 version on Council's Plans of Management webpage, which is currently in effect.

An updated PoM for Swain Gardens has now been prepared. The updated PoM conforms to the template supplied by the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure. It includes information on how the gardens will be managed and maintained.

Swain Gardens is managed under a 'site-specific' rather than a 'generic' PoM. The PoM is site-specific because Council has declared that the entirety of Swain Gardens is an area of cultural significance.

Have your say

Consultation on this Plan of Management is closed.

The feedback period for this consultation was 4 February to 5pm 3 March 2026. Thank you to everyone who participated.

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Project timeline

Public exhibition
The updated Plan of Management is on public exhibition.
Review of feedback
Community feedback is considered to help finalise the updated Plan of Management.
Report to Council
The public exhibition outcomes are reported at an upcoming Ordinary Council Meeting, and Council considers adopting the updated plan.
Adoption of updated Plan of Management
After adoption of the updated plan, the updated version comes into effect and replaces the previous version.