MELBOURNE'S NEW PARK ON A FORMER LANDFILL SITE

Brimbank City Council has announced its decision to move forward with the Sunshine Energy Park Vision Plan. The Sunshine Energy Park, located on the site that had been used for landfill up to 1990, will become a vibrant community landmark, nurturing connection to Country and supporting sports, recreation, education and environmental sustainability. Located in Melbourne's west, the new park provides an opportunity to create a destination of local, regional and state significance, thereby enhancing liveability and fostering community cohesion.

Sunshine Energy Park will be a sprawling 74 hectare site that'll transform the suburb of Albion (right next to Sunshine), adding a whole lot more for the community to enjoy. The area will be divided into eight different precincts, each with a different focus, from sustainability to sport. The park facilities range from sports fields and mountain bike trails to a large, multi-purpose stadium and a solar farm.

Fesigned to be a spot for the community to gather, with the inclusion of new facilities to support local community groups and sporting clubs, there'll be plenty of greenery, with vast open space that will include an Indigenous grasslands area, art installations and a hilltop lookout boasting panoramic views.  

Brimbank mayor Ranka Rasic said she was eager to see the enhancement the park would make to the area. “This is an exciting opportunity to transform Sunshine Energy Park into a future landmark of the west and create a major recreational and community hub,” she said. “Together with community and stakeholder feedback, we’ve been able to present a plan for the future vision of the site, and the potential to create something special for the Brimbank community, long into the future.”

Significant research into the community's needs into the project was undertaken, with the resulting feedback heavily influencing the project. These community-driven changes include:

• Increased space for the cultural and ecological precinct
• Replacement of wetland with a 'Native setting' space
• Increased bike paths and facilities
• Movement of the playground to a central location and inlcuded outdoor fitness equipment in the design
• Provision of better access to existing clubs onsite
• Inclusion of a dog park within the park

 Works on the Sunsine Energy Park are expected to take 30 years to complete in entirety.