Turning grey into green: new Victoria Point garden uncloaked

Photography by Maria Vasileva

At one outdoor ceremony where one might argue the rain was welcomed, more than 80 gathered in wet conditions on July 23 for the long-awaited opening of Victoria Point’s new garden.

Despite the inclement weather, Victoria Point owners’ corporation (OC) chair Dr Janette Corcoran, who has led the project since it was first conceived back in 2017, confirmed spirits weren’t dampened with “the rain is good for the garden” being the mantra on the day.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp was among those who braved the cold to witness the exciting unveiling of this green transformation of more than 2800 sqm of concrete along the Marvel Stadium concourse.

The $1.2 million project to transform the Victoria Point garden was conceived through the City of Melbourne’s Urban Forest Fund grants program, established in 2017 to accelerate greening across the municipality.

Supported by the council and Development Victoria, the garden was designed by ASPECT Studios with more than 5000 new plants and 38 new trees curated and supplied by Billy’s Nursery.

But the hero piece of the project is the iconic sculpture of AFLW legend Tayla Harris, which will now permanently reside at the forefront of the new garden in an appropriate location alongside the stadium.

While the sculpture was “uncloaked” in front of attendants on July 23, Dr Corcoran said a proper unveiling would be staged at a later date complete with a plaque, as well as Harris and the artist behind the sculpture Terrance Plowright in attendance.

Dr Corcoran told Docklands News that residents of Victoria Point were delighted to be able to finally share the space with the community, and paid tribute to the many stakeholders who had collaborated to make the project a reality.

The Lord Mayor echoed this same sentiment, saying projects such as Victoria Point’s “beautify our city, create spaces for our community to come together, and give visitors to our city even more reason to explore.”

“Victoria Podium Point has undergone a remarkable transformation from grey to green, with green cover doubling through an additional 2220 sqm of garden beds and 630 sqm of tree canopy cover,” Cr Capp said.

“Since its inception, the Urban Forest Fund grant program has created jobs for Melburnians and generated almost five times the economic return on investment, providing a boost for city businesses.”

“The refresh has also improved lighting in the area, boosting safety for people making their way home after the footy.” •