MORE state government investment into Sir William Fry Reserve is needed once Suburban Rail Loop works wipe out parts of the parkland, Kingston Council says. The Cheltenham Suburban Rail Loop Station will be built under Sir William Fry Reserve. The skate park and other southern areas at the reserve will be removed during construction works.
The state government has recently concluded its most recent stage of consultation into proposed improvements to Sir William Fry Reserve. Kingston Council was among the submitters – it has asked for an upgrade to the playground, greater clarity on the size of the skate park, relocation and upgrading of the park’s public toilets, and improvements to the reserve’s lake and drainage.
Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley said council is concerned about the replacement land to be provided as an offset. “The proposal only provides replacement open space for the area impacted by the station building – but not the long-term impacts of the construction area and the parts of the park earmarked for future development by the SRL project,” she said.
“The community deserves to have replacement space locked in now, rather than simply hoping it is addressed in the future. This is one of the most important green spaces in Highett. Our growing community cannot afford to lose open space on this scale without a like-for-like replacement. Council has long called for offset open space to be provided to the community that addresses the full impact of the project, not dealing with it in a piecemeal approach.”
The state government is set to announce the outcome of consultation later this year. To view the state government’s plans visit engage.vic.gov.au/new-open-space-at-sir-william-fry-reserve
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 10 September 2025