Due to its proximity to the city, and especially to Central station, the park has long been a place for groups to gather—for protests, markets, events or performances. For example, in 1878 in front of a large crowd, Henri L'Estrange unsuccessfully tried twice to launch himself in a gas balloon, while during the 2000 Summer Olympics the park became one of five "live sites" where the games were publicly broadcast.[4] In the late 1860s "Belmore Produce Markets" and Paddy's Markets were built in the area opposite the current park—now known as Haymarket.
The park is a key public transport hub. The final section of above-ground railway track forms the eastern edge of the park before going underground as the City Circle. Transdev John Holland buses in the direction of the Eastern Suburbs including express buses to the University of New South Wales depart from Eddy Avenue along which the CBD and South East Light Rail now runs. The western edge of the park is defined by a roadway ramp to the concourse level of the railway station. The terminus loop of the Inner West Light Rail line forms a ring around the entire park using ramps on both eastern and western edges to access the train station concourse.
^Report of the Royal Commission for the Improvement of Sydney and Its Suburbs, New South Wales Parliamentary Papers, vol 5, 1909. Cited in Freyne, Catherine (2009). "Selfe, Norman". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
