Lord Mayoral candidate Arron Wood and Deputy Lord Mayor candidate Erin Deering have announced that, if elected in October, they will scrap Mayor Nick Reece’s failed Greenline Project, which has faced escalating costs and changing scope since its inception.
The Greenline Project, first proposed by former Lord Mayor Sally Capp during her 2018 election campaign, was inspired by New York’s High Line and had the purpose of creating green spaces in Melbourne’s CBD.
“Unfortunately, Greenline was flawed from the outset,” said Wood. “It was apparently inspired by New York’s High Line, a repurposed, disused rail line however in Melbourne the space that is proposed is in full use by our train network,” said Wood.
The project has also been marred by budgetary issues. Initially estimated at $300 million, Town Hall announced that funding would be split equally between the Victorian Government, Commonwealth Government and the City of Melbourne. To date, only $20 million has been provided by the Commonwealth and no funds have been allocated by the State.
“Greenline has turned into a costly and poorly managed endeavour. The scope has shifted multiple times and while many Melburnians believed they would get a High Line style park, the reality is that Greenline merely links existing or already planned parks. Also, almost all the land involved is owned and managed by the State Government, not the City of Melbourne,” explained Deering.
Team Wood has frequently spoken out against Town Hall’s history of budget mismanagement, with its last two budgets wildly fluctuating – Greenline was over spent by 184% in 2022 and underspent by $32.4 million in 2023.
Approximately $22.5 million has already been spent on the Greenline project and Team Wood estimates a further $20 million will need to be spent to honour existing contracts for renewal works at Birrarung Marr. “If elected, and in stark contrast to Mayor Nick Reece who tore up e-scooter contracts at a whim and with no consultation, we will honour the project contracts that have already been awarded. This includes the necessary upgrades to Birrarung Marr – which were due regardless of Greenline, and the completion of Seafarers Rest Park, which was approved long before Greenline was even conceived. Honouring contracts reflects our belief in responsible governance, fiscal responsibility and saves ratepayers expensive cancellation fees,” said Wood.
In order to get Town Halls’ budget back in black Team Wood will reduce the Council’s forecast debt by $10 million, a necessary step to restore financial discipline within the City of Melbourne.
The remaining money allocated for Greenline beyond expenditure already committed through contracts – which Wood estimates at $29 million – will be redirected. Through this financial discipline, $19m will be reallocated to local community and sustainability initiatives.
Considering the City of Melbourne’s population forecast to double by 2050, and to ensure that every person has access to a local park, this includes building 21 parks in the next term of Council including 6 entirely new projects. These will transform our CBD including Market Square, the jewel in the crown of the Queen Victoria Market renewal project among some of the densest residential areas in the nation, as well as Southbank which is our densest suburb overall that is being denied green tree-lined streets and multiple local parks.
“Greenline is nothing more than smoke and mirrors,” said Deering. “Melbourne deserves real investment in our future, not repackaged projects that fail to deliver. If elected, Arron and I will ensure that our resources are focused on creating new parks and supporting the communities that need it most including Melbourne’s high-rise residents who deserve so much better than the current Town Hall leadership.”
Team Wood will also work to preserve the City of Melbourne’s existing extraordinary parks and gardens. We will see through the Royal Park Master Plan, start work on a new Westgate Park Master Plan ahead of the transfer of management from Parks Vic to the City of Melbourne, and commence work on the next Master Plan due for renewal in Fawkner Park.
Traditional owners, including the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, first nations landscape architects, designers and plant experts will also be consulted on Team Wood’s plans, including the design and implementation of new parks, and acknowledging their input into the Greenline project to date.
Axing Greenline isn’t just about increasing open space it’s about getting back to basics and easing cost of living pressures for ratepayers across the city. If elected, through expenditure savings to be made from axing Greenline, Team Wood will establish Financial Counselling Service grants to the value of $1 million for residents and $1 million for small businesses across the City of Melbourne so that those doing it tough can get the support they need. We will also commission an urgent review of childcare fees for services run by the city with a view to reducing these as soon as possible.
“Team Wood also acknowledges the life changing work of the Salvation Army and the Big Issue and to help these two organisations help even more people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis we will provide an additional $500,000 each in funding which was not previously possible due to the misguided Greenline project,” said Wood.
Stakeholder quotes in support of Team Wood's announcement:
Tony Penna, President Southbank Residents Association
“Southbank is one of the most dense suburbs in the world, certainly it is in Australia. Any push to accelerate much needed parks, gardens and community open space is welcomed. We need to be building the parks where the population pressure already exists. These promised parks and greening projects for Southbank have languished for too long, while other places already well served by open space, seem to have jumped the queue”
Jackie Watts, former President Carlton Residents Association and Maritime Heritage Advocate
“We don’t need a Greenline to bring the Yarra Birrarung alive. Instead, we can enliven the river with projects at minimal cost and impost on businesses or ratepayers while utilising the Yarra Birrarung trails and heritage assets that already exist”
Background on Greenline
The Greenline Project was first proposed in 2018. It was envisioned as a transformative urban initiative, inspired by New York City's High Line—a park built on a disused elevated railway track. The idea behind Greenline was to create green spaces within Melbourne's CBD by utilising the existing rail viaduct between Flinders Street Station and Southern Cross Station.
The project aimed to use the viaducts between Flinders Street Station and Southern Cross Station to create a linear park and public space, connecting existing parks and open spaces within the city.
Initially estimated at $300 million, the project was planned to be funded equally by the City of Melbourne, the State Government of Victoria, and the Commonwealth Government, with each contributing $100 million.
Over time, the cost of the project has escalated, with recent estimates pushing the total beyond $326 million. To date, the Commonwealth Government has provided $20 million, but no funding has been received from the State Government.
The scope of the Greenline Project has evolved significantly since its inception.
Originally marketed as a park built on the rail viaducts, it has since shifted to a series of linked green spaces that were either already planned or existing, rather than a cohesive new park.
Much of the land involved in the project is owned and managed by the State Government, complicating the Council’s role and control over the development.
Despite being in development for several years, the only tangible outcomes of the Greenline Project so far have been upgrades to existing parks like Birrarung Marr and Seafarers Rest, and the creation of floating wetlands along the Yarra River, which were part of other strategies rather than Greenline.
The Greenline Visitors Hub, a display suite for the project, remains one of the few completed components, drawing further criticism for the lack of real progress.
THE LIST OF 21 NEW PARKS AND STREETSCAPE GREENING PROJECTS ACROSS MELBOURNE UNDER TEAM WOOD
Ref | Suburb | Description | Funding | Expected |
1 | Carlton | Expansion: University Square Stage 2 (Barry St, Plaza and Grattan St) | $23.09m in existing budget | 2027 |
2 | Carlton | Streetscape greening: Pelham St (biodiversity corridor from Carlton Gardens to University Square) | $2m reallocated from Greenline; one-off boost to streetscape program | 2027 |
3 | CBD | Replacement: City Square | Metro Rail Project building, returning to City | 2025 |
4 | CBD | New: Market Square, 1.8ha in the heart of City North, next to Vic Market | Fully funded through proceeds of sale of Southern Development Site | 2028 |
5 | CBD | New: Swanston St triangle | $1.5m in existing budget | 2025 |
6 | CBD | Renewal: Birrarung Marr | >$20m in existing budget | 2025 |
7 | Docklands | New: Seafarers Rest Park 3,500sqm | Largely developer funded | Dec 2024 |
8 | Kensington | New: Chelmsford St | $8m in existing budget | 2027 |
9 | Kensington | New: Macaulay and Stubbs reserve | To be fully funded through Macaulay development contributions | 2027 |
10 | North Melbourne | Expansion: Bedford and Capel | Construction nearing completion | Early 2025 |
11 | North Melbourne | Expansion: Buncle St Reserve | $3m reallocated from Greenline; $3m from Macaulay development contributions | 2028 |
12 | North Melbourne | Expansion: Chapman and Errol | $4.89m in existing budget | 2026 |
13 | North Melbourne | New: Errol north of Queensberry | New: $3m from the open space reserve | 2026 |
14 | Southbank | Streetscape greening: City Road (implementing Actions 1 and 3 of the City Road Masterplan) | $9.8m reallocated from Greenline to contribute towards $25.93m project, Vic Gov to pay remainder | 2027 |
15 | Southbank | Expansion: Miles and Dodds | $2.24m in existing budget | 2026 |
16 | Southbank | Expansion: Normanby Road | $25m in existing budget | 2027 |
17 | Southbank | New: ACCA forecourt | $1.5m Vic Gov grant awarded | 2025 |
18 | Southbank | New: Northern Undercroft | Seek Commonwealth grant | 2025 |
19 | Southbank | New: Southbank Boulevard Stage 6 (City Rd to the river) | $4.2m reallocated from Greenline; $7.8m from open space reserve | 2027 |
20 | West Melbourne | New: Hawke Street Linear Park | Fully funded through State/Council ‘Transport and Amenity Program’ | 2026 |
21 | West Melbourne | New: Roden Street Linear Park | Fully funded through State/Council ‘Transport and Amenity Program’ | 2026 |
A | Royal Park | Complete Master Plan | Within operating budget | 2025 |
B | Westgate Park | Complete Master Plan ahead of management transferring from Parks Vic to Council | $0.1m in existing budget | 2026 |
C | Fawkner Park | Commence Master Plan Refresh | Within operating budget | 2027 |
The entirely new projects in Team Wood’s 21 Parks Plan are:
Ref | Suburb | Description | Funding | Expected |
2 | Carlton | Streetscape greening: Pelham St (biodiversity corridor from Carlton Gardens to University Square) | $2m reallocated from Greenline; one-off boost to streetscape program | 2027 |
The University Square Master Plan 2016 proposed a biodiversity corridor on Pelham St, but this was never delivered. Team Wood will support nature in the city, and a richer biodiversity in our urban area, by boosting funding to Council’s urban forest and streetscape upgrade capital programs to link up the green spaces in Carlton with new trees and understorey planting.
9 | Kensington | New: Macaulay and Stubbs reserve | To be fully funded through Macaulay development contributions | 2027 |
The Kensington side of the Macaulay urban renewal area is among the fastest growing areas of Victoria. Thousands of new residents are moving in to new apartments, but their local park is not yet built. Team Wood will consider options in 2025 to bring forward the purchase and upgrade of the VicTrack owned land, using the Macaulay interim development contributions that have been collected. New parks should come at the start of urban renewal, not years after new homes have been built.
11 | North Melbourne | Expansion: Buncle St Reserve | $3m reallocated from Greenline; $3m from Macaulay development contributions | 2028 |
The Council is pursuing a new community centre to replace the aging Buncle St buildings, but is yet to make any plans for open space and recreation. The Macaulay Structure Plan identifies the expansion of the Buncle St reserve, potentially into Sutton Street. This reserve should be the community heart of the North West part of North Melbourne, the most culturally diverse part of the municipality, including many public housing residents still reeling from the 2020 ‘hard lockdowns’. Council needs to focus on the areas of the municipality in greatest need.
13 | North Melbourne | New: Errol north of Queensberry | New: $3m from the open space reserve | 2026 |
Council has requested the development of a new concept plan for this park, which will be considered in 2025. The park is not yet costed. In speaking to locals, Team Wood knows that addressing the open space shortage is a priority for locals. Team Wood will pursue a new park, right in the heart of the North Melbourne civic precinct, to a design that genuinely responds to public feedback.
14 | Southbank | Streetscape greening: City Road (implementing Actions 1 and 3 of the City Road Masterplan) | $9.8m reallocated from Greenline to contribute towards $25.93m project, Vic Gov to pay remainder | 2027 |
The City Road Master Plan 2016 had as its centrepiece the upgrade of City Road to become a high-amenity tree-lined street, especially west of Power Street, greatly improving the safety of the road while providing Southbank with a local high street that connects the community instead of dividing it. No progress has been made. City Road is a State arterial, but the amenity upgrades are a local responsibility. Team Wood will resurrect this project by proposing to the State Government that Council pays for 50% of the streetscape upgrades, while the State pays the other half – as well as the renewal of the road reserve. It’s time to stop the finger-pointing and get this project done.
19 | Southbank | New: Southbank Boulevard Stage 6 (City Rd to the river) | $4.2m reallocated from Greenline; $7.8m from open space reserve | 2028 |
The chain of local parks on the southern side of Southbank Boulevard is incomplete. The Council has failed to schedule Stage 6, greening Southbank Boulevard between City Road and the river. This is among the densest parts of Victoria. Team Wood will schedule the works, potentially integrating the new green spaces with a replacement of the ‘red stairs’ at Queensbridge Square.
C | Fawkner Park | Commence Master Plan Refresh | Within operating budget | 2027 |
The Fawkner Park Master Plan 2006 was intended to be a 10 year document. It is the next of Melbourne’s heritage parks and gardens that requires a masterplan refresh. This process should be undertaken in close consultation with the users of the park and the residents of South Yarra and St Kilda Road.
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