The North East Link Program (NELP) developed a draft design for the Koonung Creek Reserve in Balwyn North.
We consulted our community and developed an alternative design which better reflects the feedback of our community and Council. The alternative design was adopted by Council in February 2024.
We’re advocating for NELP to reinstate the reserve according to Council’s adopted design after they finish building the North East Link and widening the Eastern Freeway.
Status updates
Wednesday 2 April 2025
- Read our update on the North East Link and our advocacy efforts. It includes information about a session being hosted on Tuesday 29 April 2025.
- We're also encouraging our community to contact the North East Link Program and the Minister for Transport Infrastructure asking them to release all flooding related information to local councils and the community.
Monday 26 February 2024
- Councillors adopted an updated version of the design for the Koonung Creek Reserve developed by Council Officers. We revised NELP's draft design based on feedback we received through community consultation in September and October 2023.
Read on for a summary of community consultation and details about the development of the design.
Koonung Creek Reserve proposed changes
NELP will acquire around ~25% of the Koonung Creek Reserve to widen the Eastern Freeway. They will also use about 65% of the reserve as a construction laydown site during their works.
You can compare Koonung Creek Reserve before construction and after construction below.
Drag the bar across the screen to swap between the 2 images.
About community consultation
We consulted with our community over 2 stages of consultation.
Read about the consultations and explore the findings on our Community consultation on Koonung Creek Reserve page.
About NELP's draft design
Key features of NELP's draft design included:
- a new playground and toilet at the western end of the reserve (Balwyn Road entrance)
- a 5 km parkrun route through the reserve
- additional secondary walking paths
- relocation of the existing BMX and mountain bike jumps and skills track to the western end of the reserve
- public toilet at the Balwyn Road entrance
- nature play areas
- planting along the length of the reserve to rebuild the Koonung Creek wildlife corridor
- new amenities including upgraded seats, gazebos, bird hide and a deck around the wetland
- a new fenced dog park
- an upgraded playground and facilities at Wandeen Street
- native plant garden display at the Mountain View Road and Doncaster Road ends of the reserve
There were also features of NELP's draft design our community and Council did not not support. These include:
- reinstating and rerouting the Koonung Creek Trail as a shared path for walkers and cyclists
- the representation of the past water course. This is likely to be a boulder-lined and partially planted deep and wide swale (open drain) and ponds to keep and treat storm water runoff from the Eastern Freeway and other roads. This infrastructure would impact the open space available in the reserve.
About Council's adopted design
We adjusted NELP's draft design so it better reflects the feedback of our community and Council. The key changes include:
- removal of stormwater infrastructure, other than the existing wetland
- reinstatement of a mode-separated Koonung Creek Trail, with side by side walking and cycling paths instead of a shared user path
- additional bike repair stations at key locations
- improving the location of assets which complement each other, like bike hoops, seats, drinking fountains and exercise equipment
- supporting opportunities to reimagine the Koonung Creek through creative and cultural design throughout the reserve, in consultation with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
All other key features included in NELP's draft design remain the same in Council's adopted design.
Next steps
We have shared Council's adopted concept design for the Koonung Creek Reserve with NELP and their contractors, the Eastern Freeway Burke to Tram Alliance (EBTA), who are responsible for the reinstatement of the reserve.
Our next steps are to:
- advocate to NELP and EBTA to reinstate the Koonung Creek Reserve according to Council’s adopted concept design for the Koonung Creek Reserve
- work with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to support opportunities to reimagine the Koonung Creek through creative and cultural design throughout the reserve
- update our community as works progress.
