NEWS 7 November 2018 |

Labor will invest $150 million to create more than 6,500 hectares of parkland and new walking and bike trails right across Melbourne, giving families great places to spend time off, including $10 million to help local council upgrade facilities in local parks.

According to the policy materials released to the media: “The new parks protect key creek corridors and conservation areas that need to be set aside from development.”

This is a welcome announcement, particularly the new 2,778 hectare park in the Upper Merri Creek, near Craigieburn, and 1,000 hectare Jackson Creek Park near Sunbury and additions to the urban park network along Kororoit Creek and Werribee River.

While the announcement was light on detail and specific locations, many of the areas will have significant ecological features including, critically endangered grasslands and woodlands which should were feasible be included in the regional parks network.

In Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, Labor will:

  • establish Cardinia Creek South Parkland, a 508 hectare parkland near Officer
  • create the Sandbelt Parklands, a 355 hectare chain of parks running from Moorabbin to Dingley Village with walking and bike trails, conservation and adventure play areas
  • complete Clyde Regional Park, creating a 120 hectare parkland
  • plan for the Frankston Greenbelt that will link together 1,881 hectares of parks and reserves for locals to enjoy between the Seaford wetlands and Mornington.

In Melbourne’s north and north-eastern suburbs, Labor will:

  • create a new 2,778 hectare Upper Merri Park, near Craigieburn
  • expand the Quarry Hills Parkland to cover 1,088 hectares, near South Morang
  • complete the Plenty River Trail, building another 17 kilometres of walking and cycling trail stretching from Mernda to the Western Ring Road at Greensborough
  • invest in new bike and walking trails across Nillumbik, Moreland, Banyule, Darebin, Hume and Whittlesea council areas
  • undertake a feasibility study for a new Wallan Regional Park

In Melbourne’s west and north-western suburbs, Labor will:

  • create a new 1,008 hectare Jackson Creek Park, near Sunbury
  • complete Kororoit Creek Park, creating a 260 hectare parkland
  • complete Werribee Township Regional Park, creating a 340 hectare parkland
  • complete planning for a new 130 hectare Toolern Regional Park at Melton
  • complete planning for a new 223 hectare Werribee River Park at Wyndham

You can read more about the Labor commitment here.

More about urban sprawl impacts on grasslands and threatened species here.

Around 200 people attended the ‘Grassy Plains: Respect, Protect and Reconnect Conference’ at Wyndham City Council offices in Werribee on 12-13 October. The conference was sponsored by VNPA and our Executive Director Matt Ruchel presented on the first day. The conference released a detailed Declaration calling for more action to respect, protect and reconnect our critically endangered grasslands in the west and north of Melbourne. The full declaration can be read here.