New South Wales Sites
Mildura Riverfront Master Plan
introduction / overview / images / location / Projects
Landscape Architect: McGregor Coxall
Location: Murray River at Mildura on the New South Wales boarder with Victoria
OVERVIEW
Working with Suters Architects, McGregor Coxall prepared The Mildura Murray Masterplan as a visionary waterfront framework to reconnect Mildura’s CBD with the Murray River in Mildura, Victoria. The project covers an area of 24 hectares, with 16 hectares dedicated to public parklands. The building mix includes new Commercial & Residential Buildings, a Transport Hub, Cultural Centre and Hotel & Convention Centre to draw people into the park and activate the waterfront.
The new park references the history of the Indigenous and European people living along the Murray River reflecting the agricultural patterns of the region. Proposed rain gardens form a key part of an overall integrated water strategy that acts as the towns storm water catchment filtration system. The project will boost the local economy through tourism and business incubation initiatives.
SPECIAL FACTORS
The parkland is in effect a macro scale water treatment facility filtering the entire urban catchment of the town. The existing storm water pipe network is diverted to the parkland and fed by gravity into each of the biofiltration cells. The resultant water is then diverted to the Murray River. The parkland is thus a giant ecological engine that services the riparian corridor.
The cultural precinct is linked to this environmental mechanism so that stories are interwoven with the European and indigenous heritage of the area. Mildura was the place where irrigation practices were first begun in Australia and this project proposes new ways to look after water in the Murray system.
BUDGET: N/A / $60,000,000
DESCRIPTION
Existing Environment
The existing parkland plays host to a range of sporting pursuits and community uses and contains a series of spaces with separate functions and uses that are of importance to Mildura’s riverfront and city community. The parkland today is visually and physically divided and is a highly modified landscape that displays very little similarity to that which once naturally occurred here. The urban catchment delivers polluted water to the river through a pipe system that runs under the park.
Murray River History
Approximately 200 million years ago Australia was formed when Gondwanaland slowly divided and drifted apart. Between 2.5 and 0.5 million years ago, the Murray River was created through major geological movement.
Millewah, the aboriginal name for the Murray River, was first recorded in 1836. Today, the Murray River, Australia’s largest river, approximately 2500km in length, stretches from the Australian Alps across Australia’s inland plains and terminates at Lake Alexandria, SA.
Indigenous History
As one of the major rivers in the dry continent that is Australia, the Murray River has traditionally been of great importance to many Indigenous Australian People. Historically, a number of indigenous language groups inhabited the enormous area spanned by the Murray River system. For over 60000 years the Murray River has given life to the Aboriginal People including the Latji Latji Nation who lived within the Mildura region.
Irrigation Age
Today the Murray-Darling Basin is Australia’s primary agricultural area, containing 42% of the nations farmland and producing 25% of its food. Water from the Murray River is used extensively along its length, primarily for irrigation. Small scale pumping began drawing water from the Murray River in the 1850’s with the first large scale plant being constructed at Mildura Station in 1887 by brothers George and William Chaffey.
Environmental Reconciliation
In February 2009, the Federal Government allocated an additional $900 million to save the Murray River and Darling River system through:
- proposed buy-back of irrigated properties.
- assistance for local councils and communities to implement long-term water planning.
- the creation of stormwater harvesting projects.
- bioremediation of the Lower Murray.
These initiatives recognise the dramatic decline of the Murray River system and the urgent need to implement measures to secure it’s future.
Landscape Conceptual Framework
The key moves that we have undertaken as part of our design approach are as follows:
The new park, to be known as Mildura Murray Fields, will be located between the The Mildura Murray Cultural Centre and The Murray River. Its design arrangement represents the agricultural character of the region and will educate its visitors about initiatives like “The living Murray”. It will serve to retain water for later reuse and act as a filtration system and storage of water for reuse. The design implements an overall integrated water strategy for the site. Storm water harvesting of the urban catchment will replenish Mildura Murray Fields.
The capturing of stormwater run-off, before it outfalls into The Murray River, will be achieved through the implementation of gross pollutant traps, constructed wetlands, bio swales and filtration areas and public education and information programs. Rain gardens proposed for the park will form a key part of the sites natural environment. The rain gardens will be made up of five separate plant community typologies, each representing a plant community found in one of the five major “Icon Sites” found along Murray River. Blackwater Plant and Greywater systems will also be explored.
The Mildura Murray Park will provide a dynamic and interactive recreational and environmental precinct. It will be home to living environmental systems and will have the capacity to filtrate storm water harvested from the urban catchment. It will also form a place within which visitors can gain an in site into the rich history of the Murray River and the human habitation that has evolved along it’s length. The Mildura Murray Park has the potential to influence attitudes towards the Murray River and raise public awareness in relation to it’s enormous value and significance, both locally, regionally and nationally.
The Mildura Murray Park will be home to the proposed Mildura Murray Cultural Centre and central Langtree Plaza. Together they will help establish a cultural and educational hub for the region. Jetty’s and boardwalks will activate the river edge by providing increased house boat mooring and paddle steamer access and capacity. This will improve tourist visitation to the Mildura Murray Park and assist in stimulating local businesses.
Innovative planning or demonstration of new directions in the profession.
The key innovation is the positioning of landscape as a driver in the masterplanning phase that defines the framework for the entire project. Next generational sustainability initiatives have provided a robust platform for ongoing development of the Masterplan. The following principles and objectives informed the feasibility assessment process, building on the sustainability objectives and assisting in adoption of a long-term view for the redevelopment of the riverfront:
- Maximise beneficial outcomes through good governance [establish good governance structures; apply best practice community and stakeholder involvement].
- Deliver optimal community benefits [facility healthy living; contribute to food security; maximise access and connectivity; promote social interaction and community cohesion; promote and enhance culture and heritage; maximise safety].
- Adapt to the effects of anticipated climate change [establish climate resilient buildings, infrastructure and landscapes; maximise future environmental comfort e.g. design for future micro-climates].
- Minimise contributions to climate change through reducing greenhouse gas emissions [minimise greenhouse gas emissions from construction and operation; maximise carbon sequestration e.g. through tree planting].
- Minimise energy demand, maximise efficiency and use clean energy sources [minimise energy demand e.g. through use of daylighting; maximise energy efficiency e.g. through energy efficient equipment; maximise energy from renewable sources].
- Achieve a net ecological benefit [protect and enhance ecosystems e.g. aquatic and terrestrial ecology].
- Maximise resources efficiency over the life of the project [optimise cut and fill balance; maximise beneficial use of spoil; re-use existing buildings; use recycled materials and materials from sustainable sources; design for disassembly and recyclability].
- Maximise the beneficial use of water and minimise flood risk [minimise water demand and maximise efficiency; minimise potable water use; harvest, reclaim and reuse rainwater and stormwater; recycle greywater and blackwater].
- Maximise economic vitality [establish self-sustaining management regimes; maximise local economic benefit; maximise flexibility for the future].
Effective and strategic use, presentation or programming of landscape architectural inputs.
Remediation of the river bank and park land uses 100% native species. Construction of wharfs / boardwalks will protect the riverbank from erosion. An increase in parkland area has been attained and vegetation cover increased against existing condition resulting in a reduction to the irrigated lawn areas. Retention of all River Redgums is proposed. Stormwater detention and treatment system to improve water quality and thereby enhance the aquatic environment of the river. Regulatory compliance has been exceeded. Best practice sustainability outcomes have been achieved.
Addresses the Australian Landscape Principles:
Value our Landscape
The project demonstrates an innovative approach to this Landscape Principle, with the five rain garden community typologies, each representing a plant community found in one of the five major “Icon Sites” found along Murray River. The “Icon Sites” are so named because of their ecological, cultural and indigenous significance. The five rain garden community typologies are derived from those found in the Baramah-Millewa Forest; Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest; Hattah Lakes, Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay-Wallpolla Island; Lower Lakes and the Coorong and Murray Mouth.
Protect › Enhance › Regenerate
The project demonstrates an innovative landscape design and management process. Remnant endemic vegetation will be protected, the water quality of the Murray River and its ecology enhanced. The design also aims to deliver an exceptional outcome to educate the parks visitors not only about the history of the river and its people but also about its ecology.
Design with respect
The project references the historical interaction of Aboriginal culture and European culture and the river. The park acts as a gigantic stormwater filtration system and educates about current environmental and economic aspects.
Design for the future
The project demonstrates a creative approach to building resilience in terms of enhancing socio-cultural, environmental and economic outcomes for future generations. This is not only achieved by the innovative design of the park itself but also by integrating the Mildura Murray Cultural Centre into the Masterplan.
Embrace responsive design
The project enhances the potential to adjust to socio-cultural, environmental and economic change. Education initiatives are one key element of the design.
The Mildura Waterfront Masterplan propsed the following ESD initiatives:
- Proposed rain gardens for the park will form a key part of an overall integrated water strategy for the site that will form the towns storm water catchment filtration system.
- There will be five rain garden community typologies in total, each representing a plant community found in one of the five major “Icon Sites” found along Murray River. The “Icon Sites” are so named because of their ecological, cultural and indigenous significance. The five rain garden community typologies are derived from those found in the Baramah-Millewa Forest; Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forest; Hattah Lakes, Chowilla Floodplain and Lindsay-Wallpolla Island; Lower Lakes and the Coorong and Murray Mouth.
- The proposed rain gardens will filter stormwater captured from the urban catchment. They will act as filtration and storage facilities as well as educational and environmental places of learning. They will also contribute to the improved water quality of the river by reducing contaminated stormwater outflows.
- The total storm water catchment that would be captured in the parks storm water catchment filtration system is 114ha, 170 ML/year.
- A black water plant is proposed for the development. This will provide potential re use of non-potable water for irrigation and toilet flushing needs for the precinct.
- Solar panels will be installed on a number of the developments roofs to provide power for the park lighting; irrigation pumps and other associated operations.
- A centralised park composting area is proposed. This could provide an important resource and remove the need for external importation of such organic materials.
- The park is designed to minimise irrigation needs and potable water demands and is to be both flood and drought proof.
- The park will reduce areas of lawn and utilise a range of endemic plant species. This will promote biodiversity, increase the longevity of the parks life, reduce maintenance needs, lower irrigation requirements and encourage native fauna to frequent the site.
- The proposed planting will also implement and celebrate traditional bush foods [aboriginal] of the region.
- Significant site trees are to retained and added to. This will increase biomass through carbon banking and so reduce the carbon footprint of the development.
- The design will seek to use local materials with low embodied energy and will utilise salvaged, recycled and reclaimed materials were possible. Hard surfaces are to be minimised and shade provided through tree planting and built shade structures.
- Green roofs are also proposed for a number of the developments new buildings. These combined measures will assist in reducing any urban heat island effects.
- The design aims to secure new funding made available as part of the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan. In particular, the project seeks to meet key assessment criteria through it’s stormwater harvesting and water recycling initiatives.
effective and programmed applied research.
The outcome of the project was driven by an extensive research in the water balance of Mildura. This research has been done by Equatica and was driven and implemented into the design of the Masterplan by McGregor Coxall. An explicit socio-cultural research concerning the history of the Murray River and its Arboriginal and European inhabitants has been undertaken. The findings have been incorporated into the philosophy of the design and its educational program.
Recognises and incorporates community values.
Mildura Rural City Council had undertaken an extensive community consultation program pior to our appointment thus the values of the community were embedded in the client brief.
Incorporates effective community engagement and fosters broad support and understanding of landscape architecture.
An extensive community participation program was undertaken to support the Masterplan including indigenous consultation.
Demonstrates adoption and/or implementation of recommendations.
The community consultation process canvassed community values and these where directly integrated into the design.
introduction / overview / images / location / Projects
2010
