Olympic Park Master Plan

Olympic Park is located in Heidelberg West on the western fringe of the municipality. The park is an established sport and community recreation reserve with a significant history and was once used as a prominent training base for the 1956 Olympic Games.

Olympic Park is now a high profile soccer and cricket venue which also provides a range of other sport, recreation and open space opportunities. The park is also home to Barrbunin Beek, a gathering place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in and around Banyule.

The increased demand to provide functional and appropriate levels of sport and recreation infrastructure, and the shift towards more informal and casual recreation pursuits, has prompted Council to develop a Master Plan for Olympic Park

The Olympic Park Master Plan was adopted by Council on 14 March 2017 following extensive community consultation.

Delivery of Olympic Park Master Plan is well underway with the initial two stages completed, stage 3 is currently in construction and stage 4 is in the planning phase.

Stage 1 - completed

Stage 1 works included:

  • The redevelopment of the main playing pitch (natural turf)
  • Underground infrastructure
  • Reshaping of dirt mounds around the pitch and access paths.

Stage 2 - completed

Stage 2 works included:

  • Synthetic mini-roos pitch/warm up area (including drainage, fencing and lighting).
  • Car parking with Water Sensitive Urban Design elements including bio swales and bio retention basins.
  • Playground with nature place, structured play, shelter, BBQs and picnic furniture.
  • Electrical substation upgrades and main pitch lighting
  • Landscaping and shared paths.
  • 1956 Memorial Olympic Garden

Stage 3 - completed

Stage 3 works include:

  • Construction of new car park north of the entrance road to Olympic Park Reserve including water sensitive urban design.

Stage update: Stage 3 works are now complete except for a slip lane which is still to be installed off Southern Road as an alternate entrance to the area.

Stage 4 - In planning phase

Stage 4 works includes:

  • Reconstruction and realignment of the northern cricket pitch (including drainage, lighting, fencing).
  • Reconstruction and realignment of two additional soccer pitches / cricket pitch with wicket between the soccer pitches (including drainage, irrigation, fencing, lighting).
  • New pavilion (change rooms, toilets, social space)
  • Cricket practice nets.
  • Acrylic futsal/basketball area (including fencing, lighting).
  • Refurbishment of Barrbunin Beek.
  • Landscaping and paths.

Stage update: Construction to the new pitches commenced in October 2022 and is scheduled to be completed by mid 2023, at which time the grounds will be usable, and clean up works to be completed by June 2023. Construction on the new pavilions is currently in design phase.

Other Works

Heidelberg United Football Club is also planning to upgrade its pavilion facilities. A planning permit application has been lodged and details will be made available on Council’s website as the application progresses.

Who is funding stage 3 and stage 4 works?

It is estimated that the cost of stage 3 and stage 4 works will be $7.5m. Council has allocated $3.0m (over four years) and the State Government has funded $4.5m.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

As part of the remaining stages there will be upgrades to lighting of the Olympic Park Precinct paths and sports fields. All lighting will be changed to LED lighting which is 75% more efficient than the current incandescent lighting throughout the park. LED lighting is better focused lighting resulting in less light spillage outside of the park. The lighting levels for the main pitch is remaining at 500lux. The middle pitches will be lit to 200lux and the northern oval to 100lux. Check out the lighting footprint.

We hosted community drop-in sessions, conducted a survey and provided opportunities for community members to shape and comment on the master plan before it was adopted in 2017.

There is ongoing consultation with the community and key stakeholders at different stages of the project.

To stay up to date on this project, click the 'follow' button at the top of the project page.

Read the extended background and key findings

Where

Olympic Park is located on the western fringe of Banyule. The park is within an established residential area, sitting along side the Darebin Creek. On the otherside of the creek, (to the west) is a commercial precinct that includes Northland Shopping Centre and north-east from Olympic Park off Dougharty Rd, is a substantial industrial area.

The park is home to the Heidelberg United Football Club (soccer), Olympic Colts Cricket Club and the Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place. The site has a significant history and was once used as a prominent training base for the 1956 Olympic Games.