The local heritage value of stations on the Caulfield to Dandenong Project will be reflected through a range of thoughtful design solutions.

The new station precincts at Carnegie and Murrumbeena will continue to reflect the historical values and local character while Clayton Station's heritage-listed waiting shelter will be protected, re-used and re-purposed within the parkland and open space created by the project.

Reflecting values across the corridor

The Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project will involve the reconstruction of 5 stations along the corridor at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park.

Arange of heritage values apply to these stations:

• Clayton Station - listed on the Victorian State Heritage Register. It adjoins the Clayton Avenue of Honour, which is listed on the Victorian War Heritage Inventory
• Carnegie and Murrumbeena Stations - while not heritage listed, are subject to a local Heritage Overlay and are strongly valued by the community for their contribution to local character
• Hughesdale and Noble Park Station buildings - are not heritage listed, however contribute to the character of their respective local communities.

Design of Clayton, Carnegie and Murrumbeena Station precincts will take a heritage-sensitive approach that recognises local heritage through urban design on the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project.

Looking forward

Heritage recognition in action

By applying sensitive design principles, the station precincts built along the Caulfield to Dandenong corridor will recognise and reflect the local village feel and character at each station. These new community spaces will be active and unique, reflecting the past alongside modern features and facilities.

A key technique to be used at each precinct will be the adaptive re-use and interpretation of important elementsand materials from existing stations into the new precincts to showcase historic aspects. For example, the salvaging and re-use of the Carnegie and Murrumbeena Station entrances, or re-using steel canopy trusses from thestations along the bicycle and pedestrian path on approach to the station precincts.

Re-using materials in this wayensures that the new modern design acknowledges local history. This approach has been widely successful on other significant community and station infrastructure projects including at Sunshine and West Footscray.

A considered approach

Clayton Station

Built in 1891, the timber platform building used asa waiting shelter for trains heading towards Pakenham is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and subject to a local Heritage Overlay. The building is noted to be of architectural, aesthetic, social and historical importance.

Following workshops with the City of Monash and Heritage Victoria, the heritage value of the building will be recognised through:

• a full archival photographic record of Clayton Station
• preserving and restoring the remaining heritage timber building prior to construction
• relocating the shelter from within the station precinct and incorporating it as part of the new Clayton Station design
• an interpretive panel to explain the significance of the timber shelter
• hard and soft landscaping within the precinct to depict the former use of the station.

Public exhibition of these plans occurred in June 2016. The application is currently being considered by Heritage Victoria.

Carnegie and Murrumbeena stations

During public consultation undertaken in early 2016, local communities at Murrumbeena and Carnegie voiced their strong connection to the local village feel of these precincts, and the existing station buildings that contribute to this local character.

The project team has developed an approach to ensure that the elements of the existing station are incorporated into the design of the new stations and precincts through:

• salvaging, re-using and re-purposing historic elements and materials from the existing station buildings within the modern station precincts as part of a gateway to each local village. These structural elements will be carefully preserved when stations are removed during construction. Materials will include station entrances, canopy trusses and some furnishings such as benches and masonry
• interpretive panels displaying historical photography of the area
• the village character of the existing station precincts will be carried into the new modern stations through hard and soft landscaping, sensitive pathway connections and public artwork.

Community open space expert panel

The project's Community Open Space Expert Panel (COSEP) has been working with the project team to identify opportunities to recognise the local character of these stations as part of the new project designs.

The panel brings together local knowledge from community members, with expertise from Victoria Police, Bicycle Network, local councils and the Office of the Victorian Government Architect.

Appointed to oversee the plans forMelbourne's newest parkland along the corridor, the panel is also providing advice on the open space around stations and how station precincts can reflect local heritage at Carnegie and Murrumbeena.

The project team has responded with the release of an options paper, that has been developed following workshops with local council. The options paper has guided the approach at Carnegie and Murrumbeena Station precincts by exploring the opportunities to acknowledge local heritage.

Managing heritage into the future

A maintenance trust of $15 million, funded through the Level Crossing Removal Project, will be set aside exclusively for maintenance of the open space.

COSEP and the maintenance trust are a result of the community consultation process, which showed a strong desire for the new parks, paths and community infrastructure created by the project to be properly looked after. Maintenance works will include the upkeep of heritage interpretation elements within the new open space.

What does a listing on the Victorian State Heritage Register mean?

Listing on the Victorian State Heritage Register requires the project to apply to Heritage Victoria for a permit before undertaking any works on the waiting shelter at Clayton Station.

The project has worked with Heritage Victoria and City of Monash on the relocation and re-use of the shelter within the station precinct.

What does a local Heritage Overlay mean?

Places of heritage significance to a local area (called 'heritage places') can be protected by a Heritage Overlay. Heritage Overlays are part of local council planning schemes and include places of local significance as well as places included in the Victorian Heritage Register.

The project team is required to conduct a full photographic survey of any buildings subject to a local Heritage Overlay.

Read more about listings Heritage in Victoria.