Mooroolbark Station Creative Community Hub Masterplan

The aim of this pilot project was to engage with the community to help to transform Mooroolbark Station into a hub of community activity through a physical and aesthetic upgrade. It was intended that the installation of high-level infrastructure and amenity would result in a greatly improved public realm, alleviating the public safety concerns typical of often neglected station precincts.

Urban Initiatives was engaged to prepare a consolidated landscape masterplan for the Mooroolbark station which also included the connecting streetscape areas adjacent to and near the station.

The pilot involved the testing of new ways of engaging with the community in order to broaden people’s understanding of the opportunities for the station forecourt as the central public meeting space in the township. A series of workshops were facilitated to inform and upskill those participating in the consultation in order to better equip them for participating in a collaborative design process and being involved in the making of critical decisions for the project. The workshops were attended by representatives from a range of community groups including the seniors and youth groups, service clubs, Councillors, traders and the local police. Outcomes of the consultation process were a Masterplan, an Action Plan and a timeline for implementation.

The workshop process was staged, creating space in the process for both flexibility in the design and time to respond to the feedback and directions developed in the community reference group workshops and presentations.

At the completion of the workshop Urban Initiatives was engaged to prepare a consolidated landscape masterplan for the Mooroolbark station which also included the connecting streetscape areas adjacent to and near the station.

The creation of an active community event space at the entrance of the station was one of the most successful community initiatives. Materials and design themes were carefully selected to complement the character of the town and connect with proposed works in Hookie Park and other parts of Mooroolbark. Metro Trains later used the masterplan recommendations and preliminary design work as part of the documentation of the constructed forecourt works.