The new Deer Park Station has been nominated for an Australasian Rail Industry sustainability award thanks to the environmentally focused design of the project.
The elevated station was built during the removal of the level crossing at nearby Mt Derrimut Road in 2023.
When it opened it was the first station to use structural concrete made with recycled plastic, which reduced the carbon footprint of the concrete by 40%.
A further 300 tonnes of carbon have also been saved every year thanks to hundreds of solar panels on the station’s new bus shelters, which help provide an alternative energy source to power the precinct.
Cooling features were also included in the new station precinct to help reduce heat and create a cooler suburb for locals with more than 500 new and upgraded car parks sealed with CoolSeal, a sealing agent that reduces the heat generated by asphalt surfaces and helps to reduce temperatures.
The precinct also includes Victoria’s first roof top garden on a station building and more than 50,000 new trees, shrubs and grasses were planted across the station precinct.
Deer Park Station has become one of the most sustainable new station precincts in Australia and has set the standard for carbon reduction for generations to come.
The new station precinct includes lift access to both platforms, an air-conditioned waiting room, new station forecourt, bus interchange and new and upgraded car parks, making it easier than ever for locals to access public transport.
The Mt Derrimut Road boom gates were down for up to 60% of the morning peak and caused traffic chaos for more than 23,000 vehicles that passed through every day.
It was the 68th level crossing removed for good, with 80 now consigned to history across Melbourne’s suburbs. In total 110 level crossings will go by 2030, easing congestion and improving safety on local roads.
