Vision plan adopted for transforming Melbourne landfill site into parkland

After a period of consultation, Brimbank City Council in Melbourne's west has announced it will adopt the Sunshine Energy Park Vision Plan, which will guide the future design and conversion of a former landfill site into a biodiverse urban parkland.

The proposed Sunshine Energy Park would be situated in Sunshine, covering an area of about 74 hectares. The site previously served as a landfill until its closure in 1990 and has since undergone a remediation process.

In the 30-year vision plan, the council stated the park will nurture connections to Country, as well as support community wellbeing, sports and recreation activities, environmental sustainability and biodiversity and educational opportunities.

The plan shows the parkland divided into eight precincts, all linked by cycling and pedestrian networks. The precincts each relate to a diverse range of functions and activities, including a cultural and ecological precinct, a community club precinct, a sustainability precinct, an outdoor sporting precinct, a play precinct, a cycling precinct, a stadium precinct, and a water management area.

Some features of the proposed parkland include a biodiversity corridor, spaces for learning, children's play areas, art installations, an enclosed dog park, mountain bike tracks, and an all ages and abilities play equipment.

"The design will prioritise inclusivity, employing gender-sensitive planning to ensure a safeand welcoming environment for everyone, celebrating all aspects of human and cultural diversity. With family-friendly amenities scattered throughout, it will address the varied interests and needs of the community," the council's vision plan states.

"Collaboration with the Wurundjeri Elders will guide the incorporation of Indigenous values and narratives into the park's design."

The site is currently not able to be fully accessed by the general public. It is within close proximity to several key amenities and community centres, including Victoria University St Albans, Victoria University Sunshine, the Sunshine Railway Station, and several medical facilities.

In July 2023, Brimbank City Council released the vision plan for feedback. Early concept work and background investigations for the vision plan were undertaken by McGregor Coxall, with landscape architecture by Brimbank City Council's Urban Design Team.