Designs, details released for $300m Greenline project
The City of Melbourne has released final designs for its four kilometre linear park, Greenline.
Set to replace the Yarra River’s north bank between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge, at Docklands, the $300 million project will incorporate the Banana Alley and Federation vaults and Batman and Enterprize parks.
Spreading six metres at its widest, it will include promenades, parks, wetlands, boardwalks and meeting spaces.
The project was inspired by New York’s High Line, developed on 2.33km of an elevated former freight line.
Paris completed a similar project – the 4.3km Coulée verte René-Dumont – 30 years ago.
Five zones
Greenline is considered the city’s biggest public-space based transformative project since Federation Square in 2002 and Southbank Promenade, nearly a decade before that.
There will be five zones:
- Birrarung Marr precinct (including Birrarung Marr, Federation Vaults and Flinders Walk), which will include spaces for seasonal and cultural events and performances, and a dining zone opening to terraced steps – expected to be another meeting place;
- Falls precinct (including Sandridge Bridge, Banana Alley Vaults, a turning basin for the wetlands and Enterprize Park). This component will create a linear park beside Sandridge Bridge and a restaurant and café precinct at Banana Alley Vaults. It will also include a single floor building for cultural occupiers, and floating pontoons;
- Maritime precinct (Crowne Plaza, Seafarers). This area will become a boating hub, with improved access and amenities. The historic Seafarers shed will be renovated.
- River Park precinct (Batman Park) which will be expanded with lawns and a play zone. An activities space will also be created under the Flinders Street viaduct.
- Saltwater Wharf precinct (Collins Wharf Park, Collins Street and North Wharf). A new park with seating and raised waterfront platforms will be created. Boating and fishing infrastructure will also be improved while the promenade will be enlarged.
“The proposed design ideas have drawn inspiration from internationally renowned waterfront transformations including the Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York, the Park de Docks in Paris, the Auckland waterfront in New Zealand and the Seattle waterfront,” a spokesperson said.
“If endorsed by Councillors, the proposed designs will go to community consultation via Participate Melbourne and will be used to inform the draft Greenline Project Masterplan,” they added (story continues below).
“The release of the latest designs follows Council’s endorsement of the Greenline Project business case last year,” according to the council representative.
“Prepared by EY, the business case estimates a benefit to cost ratio of $3.29 for every dollar spent, with the project expected to attract an additional $1.9 billion of private sector investment.
“The Greenline project is expected to create more than 3,400 jobs during construction, more than 6,400 ongoing jobs by 2042, and attract more than 1.1 million additional visitors to the city every year”.
Lord mayor Sally Capp said the development would revitalise the Yarra River’s northern bank while attracting visitors.
“Our landscape architecture and design experts have created an incredible vision for what the Greenline project could look like – with stunning boardwalks, event spaces, native vegetation and outdoor dining,” she added.
Councillor Davydd Griffiths, also the City Transport, Infrastructure and Operations department deputy head, said Greenline is a once in a lifestyle opportunity to create an internationally recognisable destination in the heart of town.
“These latest design ideas show the breath-taking scale and bold ambition of this project, which will deliver significant benefits for local businesses,” he added.
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