New park, pavilion and playground for Melbourne Docklands

The Melbourne Docklands will get a brand new park and community oval under an $18 million Victorian Government initiative.

Victoria Premier Denis Napthine said Western Park will include a new football oval, community pavilion and children's playground, as part of stage one of the four part 'My Docklands' plan, which aims to improve community infrastructure in Docklands.

Explaining the additions to what is widely considered to be Australia's premier urban renewal precinct, Dr Napthine stated "the ... Government is serious about putting the community heart into Docklands, and nothing will better achieve this than the development of open public spaces.

"The new Western Park is budgeted, planned and paid for and will commence construction within the next nine months. It will bring the western end of the Docklands precinct to life and turn unused, windswept space in to a fantastic new sporting and community hub.

"Western Park will feature a football oval overlaid with two soccer (football) pitches, a community pavilion for spectators, children's playground and new exercise circuit. It will be the first of its kind in Docklands."

Minister for Planning Matthew Guy said the My Docklands plan is a four stage approach to delivering greater community and public open space. With Western Park as stage one, stage two will deliver new netball courts and barbeque facilities, stage three will see the private sector developing waterfront land parcels and stage four; an exciting plan to build a light weight, cycling and walking bridge across Victoria Harbour.

Minister Guy added "the ultimate connection across Victoria Harbour in stage four of the plan would be a major attraction for Docklands and would create a 3.7 kilometre running and walking track, comparable to the well-established Royal Botanic Gardens' Tan', which is 3.87 kilometres long.

"As Melbourne embraces its waterfront it is essential that public space and public attractions exist to give all Victorians the opportunity to see the beauty of our new waterfront suburb."

When finished, Docklands is expected to have attracted in excess of $17.5 billion of private investment and be home to an estimated 20,000 people with 60,000 workers and millions of visitors annually.

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