Mr McNamara’s buildings include Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres, Blacktown’s WestPoint Shopping mall, the JA Fleming stand at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and Parramatta Cultural Centre.
He also owns and operates the Del Rio Riverside Resort at Wiseman’s Ferry and has guided the development of Western Sydney, having served on numerous community and government consultancy boards.
“Bill McNamara has shaped Western Sydney and he has consistently given back to the community,” said Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali..
“Not only has he been a businessman, but he has also given time and knowledge to the community and has seen Blacktown change from a small town to a huge city,” Mayor Bali said.
“From humble beginnings as an apprentice carpenter at Riverstone Meatworks and commuting to Granville Tech in the late 1940s, he has built a business empire that has contributed hugely to the betterment of Western Sydney.”
One of the original inductees into the Blacktown Hall of Fame, in the early 1970s he created the biggest single development in Blacktown, Westpoint Shopping Centre.
Now about to turn 90, he has served on numerous community boards and - until last year - was on the board of Blacktown Venue Management, which manages Blacktown International Sports Park.
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1984, he was also was the driving force in engaging small business involvement in the lead up to the Sydney Olympic Games.
The award was announced in May in front of some 150 western Sydney business leaders who attended the launch of the 2017-18 Blacktown City Council budget, which was addressed by former Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan.
