The West Gate Tunnel Project is more than a road, we are also delivering new cycling and walking paths and creating nearly 9 hectares of new open space. This open space will be made up of parks and wetlands, and over 17,000 trees will be planted along the project corridor.

For the Moonee Ponds Creek area and under CityLink area of the project, we will create a greener and better-connected west by:

• rehabilitating the unused rail land alongside Moonee Ponds Creek to provide more green open space
• building a new walking and cycling bridge over Footscray Road for pedestrians and cyclists.

Moonee Ponds Creek and Surrounds

Tree and plant species

A selection of native grasses, trees, ground covers and shrubs will add green and colour to the new open space around CityLink and Moonee Ponds Creek.

Spotted gum trees will rise 20m in the sky providing canopy cover 10 metres wide, while ground covers including the Rounded Noon-Flower will provide a burst of purple amongst the landscape.

Designing open space

The open space landscape design has been shaped by:

• improving public safety by providing clearer sightlines throughout the area, where possible
• minimising ecological disturbance by considering existing vegetation within the creek, and potential disturbance from engineering works, with anticipated flood levels influencing the extent of a viewing deck
• reconfiguring pathways, planting beds and landscape features within the Moonee Ponds open space area to connect to the realigned elevated shared use path
• delivering a BMX track underneath CityLink and offering a range of surface treatments that will cater for a variety of skill levels
• providing seating to view the new BMX track and landscape
• increasing shrub planting around the BMX track
• allowing for future open space integration including the anticipated Moonee Ponds Creek Masterplan and adjacent Arden Urban Renewal Precinct.

Working with stakeholders

After years of talking with communities, local authorities and our Community Liaison Groups, we understand that landscaping is of great interest to locals.

Feedback indicates that community members are keen to see vegetation replaced quickly, with a focus on native plants that will complement and adapt well to the existing local environment, and provide a green visual screen in a range of areas, including near new noise walls.

Residents are also keen to see the project construction sites transform into open spaces for the community, creating new recreation areas along the project corridor. We will continue to work with local authorities and the community as we build the new open space.