Victoria Harbour changes underway

Victoria Harbour’s Water Plaza area underwent some significant changes last month with Urban Reforestation’s garden being moved and remedial works being carried out on historic wharf pylons.

The garden has been moved to a temporary site at the end of Merchant St until a permanent site becomes available nearby on the corner of Geographe Street and Keera Way.

The old Water Plaza site is to be landscaped in a similar fashion to the rest of the Harbour Promenade.

The public has been invited to a series of events starting on August 10 to plan the new garden, which will be four times the size of the original.

Divers spent several days last month securing the base of the series of pylons which will soon be transformed into an artwork by Ari Purhonen.  Stainless steel wind vanes are soon to be added to the tops of the piles, which are currently being protected by temporary plastic caps.

The spinning wind vanes will draw attention to themselves by generating sounds and well as moving in unison, shimmering like a shoal of fish.  

Urban Reforestation is holding a working bee from 9am on Friday, August 12 at the temporary garden site.  

A spokesperson said: “Docklands residents and business people are welcome to join in. Feel free to bring a plant to contribute to the garden. Make it colourful and cheerful.”

Consultations on the permanent garden start in earnest on August 10 with a design session at The Hub community centre between 7pm and 8pm.  Design results will be presented back to the community at another session at the same location and time on August 24.

A working group to produce the garden has been formed with representatives of VicUrban, the City of Melbourne, Urban Reforestation, Lend Lease, and community garden specialists, Cultivating Community.  The permanent garden is expected to open before the end of the year.

To attend the design consultations, contact Karen Cowden on [email protected] or 8317 3677.

If you cannot make the meetings but would like to have input into the design a survey can be accessed via the Victoria Harbour Talks website (http://www.victoriaharbourtalks.com.au). Survey participants will go into the draw for one of three delicious seasonal fresh food boxes from CERES Fair Food.