What are greenways ┃ Biodiversity vision ┃ How to have your say ┃ After consultation closes ┃ Contact us
Boroondara’s Greenways Plan
We’re expanding and connecting our existing network of paths with new proposed links to make it easier to move around sustainably.
Greenways is our long-term aspirational plan. We’re seeking your feedback on 53 proposed new links including both off-road and street-based links.
What are greenways?
A continuous path for shared use, predominately off-road, with vegetation along its length, linking important destinations. They are:
- continuous and connected – linking landmarks, historic buildings, open spaces, riverways, shopping strips, commercial centres, schools, sporting fields and community facilities
- for shared use – recreation, walking, and cycling
- generally including vegetation – to create wildlife corridors and habitats.
Greenways are often gravel paths but they can also be concrete, asphalt and other surfaces, depending on the location and requirements. Safety, drainage and location are key considerations when assessing the best surface treatment for each link.
Find out more about what’s already happening at Boroondara Greenways.
- make it easier and safer to walk, run and ride around our neighbourhoods
- connect key destinations including parks, schools, shopping villages and more
- encourage more active travel habits and reduce car use
- include new plantings to encourage biodiversity and increase shade
- provide an enjoyable way to enjoy time out in our natural environment.
We’re seeking your feedback on:
- 30 new street-based paths to link up the existing routes in parks and reserves across Boroondara. Street-based paths could
involve a shared path, a protected on-road link or a widened footpath.
- 23 new links in parks and reserves, which will:
- be 3 metres wide in gravel with composite edging. They can also be concrete, asphalt and other surfaces, depending on location, safety and drainage requirements
- be supported with planting to encourage biodiversity and increase shade
- be carefully located to minimise loss of trees and avoid loss of space currently used for sport
- make it easier for local families to walk or ride to their schools, sports field or shops instead of driving.
We’ve also identified streets that may be suitable for improvements to local wayfinding and traffic calming. These streets can improve local access between greenways and destinations such as schools, community facilities and shops. Examples of wayfinding and traffic calming include directional signage, pavement markings and reduced speed limits.
Our Greenways Plan includes links that have already been consulted on and approved through previous Council strategies and plans, including our Open Space Strategy and Bicycle Strategy. This is why we are not seeking feedback on these links.
These links are marked as "Planned links" on the interactive map below.
We are beginning to construct many of these approved links.
How to have your say
Let us know your thoughts on the 53 new proposed links in one of 4 ways:
Our vision for biodiversity
Our Greenways Plan aims to increase vegetation along the new links through Boroondara's biodiversity corridors, by investing in thoughtful planting.
We will choose new plantings to reflect the ecological vegetation class (EVC) of the local area.
For example:
- Shrubby areas will be supported by planting more locally native species of shrubs. This encourages small birds and other local wildlife that relies on small trees and bushes for their habitat.
- Grassy areas will be enhanced with more local, low grasses that support native bees, butterflies and insects.
- in biodiversity corridors, or
- near existing paths in parks or reserves.
After consultation closes
Once we have carefully considered all feedback and assessed your suggestions for new links, we will update the Greenways Plan and prepare an implementation plan. We will present both plans to councillors for consideration and adoption.
The Implementation Plan will prioritise the design and construction of links for the next 10 years.
As we begin to allocate budget and investigate the design for supported links, we will keep the community informed.
To keep informed on our progress, select the +Follow button:
1. Submit a general comment
2. Select a proposed link and complete the survey
3. Drop a marker to suggest a new link or path
4. Share your feedback in person when we pop-up near you
Come and speak to Council staff at:
- Saturday 18 April, 9 - 11 am
Hislop Park, Balwyn North
- Saturday 18 April, 1 - 3 pm
Eric Raven Reserve, Glen Iris
- Friday 24 April, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Ferndale Park, Glen Iris
- Wednesday 29 April, 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Park Avenue Reserve, opposite Kew Depot Recycling Drop-off Centre at 31 Hutchinson Drive, Kew
