An elevated public park in Sydney has opened on the site of a disused freight railway, built in 1854.

Designed by landscape architects Aspect Studio and practice CHROFI, The Goods Line weaves a new pedestrian and cycle network into the urban layout, connecting the city’s Railway Square, Chinatown, Darling Harbour and a cluster of cultural institutions, including the Powerhouse Museum.

Upon its opening, New South Wales minister for finance, services and property Dominic Perrottet said: ‘It is fantastic to see what was frankly a drab, dead urban space transformed into an outdoor hub that locals and visitors will really enjoy.’

Planning minister Rob Stokes added: ‘This urban corridor will connect more than 80,000 tertiary students and visitors to Darling Harbour’s major harbour-side attractions, world-class bars, cafes, restaurants and attractions.’

The Goods Line provides an outdoor gym, ping-pong tables, an amphitheatre as well as study pods equipped with power points and Wi-Fi access. Sights on offer along the inner-city corridor include Frank Gehry’s recently constructed ‘paper bag’ business school at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).

A redesign of the disused freight railway’s 500m-long southern section is set to begin soon as part of The Goods Line’s second phase.