Extreme summer temperatures are already a significant problem in many Australian cities, and the frequency, duration and severity of heat extremes are expected to increase under most climate change scenarios. There are a range of intervention strategies proposed for dealing with extreme heat in cities. Some include public health interventions such as heat wave warning systems, while others relate to urban heat island mitigation strategies including engineering solutions such as cool roofs and pavements and improvements to building performance or ecological solutions increasingly described as 'green infrastructure'. This presentation outlines the findings of a recent project investigating the role of 'green infrastructure' for climate adaptation to extreme heat. The study area is Western Sydney which has been identified as a major growth area in the Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney to 2031. In the context of climate change, the risk is that more people are likely to be exposed to extreme heat and, without the cool sea breezes experienced by those on the coast, will be heavily reliant on the quality of future urban development for climate protection. Analysis of the benefits of ‘green infrastructure’ under different urban growth and climate change scenarios was undertaken. The study's main findings are reported, including: 1) the use of thermal mapping and urban climate modelling to identify the role of urban form in driving urban thermal patterns; 2) spatial analysis of the relationship between heat exposure and sensitive populations; and 3) barriers and opportunities for 'green infrastructure' as part of a coordinated response including biophysical and social interventions.