Hornsby Quarry is a striking industrial scar on Sydney’s landscape, a vast excavation site that operated for nearly a century before closing in 2002. Originally a volcanic diatreme, the quarry became a key supplier of construction materials before its acquisition by Hornsby Shire Council.
Despite its industrial past, the site holds significant historical and ecological value. The eastern face provides a rare cross-section of the diatreme, while remnants of endangered blue gum high forest thrive on its periphery. The Higgins family cemetery, dating back to 1875, also remains as a tangible link to the region’s early European settlement.
Plans to transform Hornsby Quarry into a public recreational space began with the approved infill of 1.5 million cubic metres of spoil from the NorthConnex tunnel project, reshaping the site’s future. This collection captures the raw grandeur of the quarry before its reinvention, preserving its industrial and geological legacy.
Own a piece of Sydney’s history. Explore the collection below.
