Community engagement

Stage 1 engagement

From 1 February - 1 March 2026, 116 people shared their local knowledge to help inform the design for upgrades to Powlett Street Reserve, through an online survey, an interactive map and pop-up conversations.

Take a look below at some of the things we heard, or do a deeper dive by reading the Feedback Summary Report.

What we heard

  • Relocation of playground and actve areas

    The majority of respondents (64.6%) agreed with relocating the proposed playground and active areas to the southern end of the reserve.

  • What you told us

    • More drinking taps, seating, shade and bins
    • More trees and plantings
    • Improved accessibility throughout the reserve

  • Community concerns

    • Existing driveway access to 16 Powlett Street
    • Antisocial behaviour

What next?

Community feedback will inform the draft concept design for this project. The draft concept design will be shared with the community on Shaping Banyule for feedback in mid-2026.

Stage 1 Interactive map

Take a look at ways our community use Powlett Street Reserve and ideas they have to improve the open space for everyone.

What we are doing

We're developing a detailed design for Powlett Street Reserve, based on the Burgundy and Powlett Street Reserves Masterplan that was adopted by Council in 2018.

We know that a lot has changed since 2017 when we last heard from community. More people live in and around Heidelberg, and the population is expected to grow by more than 50% by 2046. This means our parks and open spaces will need to support many more people.

What does the Masterplan include for Powlett Reserve?

View the drawings from the Masterplan for Powlett Street Reserve.

We understand that it's been 8 years since the Masterplan was adopted, and updates may be needed.

Thank you for your feedback. We wanted to make sure we haven't missed anything and that the design still meets the needs of the people who use the Reserve.

Powlett Street Reserve - West
Powlett Street Reserve - East
Entertainment area detail 1
Entertainment area detail 2

What can you influence?

  • Relocation of the Reserve's active and passive spaces.
  • Facilities and equipment to be included in improvement works.
  • That there will be a detailed design implemented for Powlett Reserve.

About the project

The detailed design for Powlett Street Reserve is a chance to build on what the community has already told us and improve an important part of Banyule. The area has to do a lot at once - provide open space for everyone to enjoy, fit in car parking, and allow safe cycling and walking - while being in the middle of a busy local centre.

The Masterplan aims to:

  • Create a clear vision for Powlett Street Reserve that will benefit the whole community.
  • Support Council’s plans for open space, transport and the Heidelberg Activity Centre by helping make the area more connected, more sustainable, easier to get around, and better for social and economic activity, while also improving car parking.

Powlett Street Reserve is in central Heidelberg, south of Burgundy Street, opposite the Austin Hospital and next to Warringal Cemetery on Darebin Street.

Right now, this land is classified as a ‘road reserve’. Council has asked the State Government to approve changing it to ‘public open space'.

Take a look around and get familiar with the space:


Powlett Reserve - The wide nature strip on the eastern side of Powlett Street, between Burgundy Street and Darebin Street (sometimes referred to as the Powlett Street Common).

Research show that green public spaces are very important for people’s physical and mental health. This is true in Australia and around the world (Banyule Public Open Space Plan 2016-2031).

Powlett Street Reserve is a valued 'green space' in the busy Heidelberg Precinct. Council wants to improve and look after this space into the future.

As more people move into the area and more residences are built, having easy access to good public open space will be even more important for community health and wellbeing. Research also shows that informal activity areas in parks help with social connection, play, and child development.

Council’s Public Open Space Plan technical report recommends that Powlett Street Reserve be officially classified as public open space and that a Masterplan be created. Council adopted this Masterplan in 2018.

Powlett Street Reserve is part of the Heidelberg Major Activity Centre (MAC). A Heidelberg Structure Plan for Heidelberg was developed and adopted by Council in 2023.

The Heidelberg MAC is one of 60 activity centres chosen by the State Government for its Activity Centres Program. Under this program, the government will set its own planning rules for these centres, including Heidelberg, to support its Housing Statement (September 2023).

View more details about the Heidelberg MAC and Structure Plan.

Many workers in the area use public open spaces during lunch to get a break from work, hospitals, and shops. Visitors to patients in Heidelberg’s hospitals also need easy-to-access open spaces for rest and comfort.

Council is under pressure to provide more usable public open space and improve walking connections in the area. Developing key open spaces in this precinct is a high priority for Council, while still keeping the area pleasant for residents and meeting local needs.

There isn’t much 'green space' in the Heidelberg Activity Centre for people to use as public open space.

Banyule’s Public Open Space Plan has identified this as a problem because the population is expected to grow and more residential blocks will be built. These residences will have little or no private outdoor space for residents. This means demand for public open space will keep increasing.

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