Melbourne’s east is about to get a game-changing new park, opening up the equivalent of 18 MCGs worth of green space for locals to explore.
Construction has officially kicked off on ngarrak nakorang wilam park, a 35-hectare stretch running from Forest Hill through Vermont and connecting directly to the Dandenong Trail. Long known as the Healesville Freeway Reserve, the underutilised land is set to become one of the city’s biggest new recreational spaces.
The park will be anchored by a 3.5-kilometre shared trail for walkers and cyclists, lined with seating, lighting, fountains and signage. Activity areas along the way will feature picnic shelters, barbecues, play equipment and accessible toilets, creating a series of gathering points for families and friends.
The name ngarrak nakorang wilam, meaning “Mountain Meeting Place”, was chosen by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to highlight the deep cultural connections of Traditional Owners and the role of parks as communal spaces.
Beyond recreation, the project comes with a comprehensive vegetation strategy designed to boost biodiversity. Native plantings will encourage wildlife such as kookaburras, gang-gang cockatoos and echidnas, while habitat improvements – including nesting boxes – will support long-term conservation.
The $10.5 million park is on track to open by mid-2026. For more information, head to parks.vic.gov.au.
