Melbourne skateboarding legend and Olympic judge Renton Millar is helping to design the new skate park for Cheltenham locals to enjoy as part of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East.
Incorporating feedback from local skaters, parents and Kingston City Council, the new park will feature a mix of bowl and street skate styles and artwork reflecting the historic pipework at the former Highett Gasworks site.
Renton Millar was born and raised in Melbourne, and is a professional skateboarder, competition announcer and Olympic skateboarding judge. Skating for more than 35 years, Renton has won awards across the globe and is also the founder of Shredability – a business which offers coaching and runs national competitions.
The new park will be part of a major upgrade to Sir William Fry Reserve which will also include a full-size multi-sport court, a new pickleball court and an off-leash dog park, as well as new and enhanced vegetation, lighting, seating, pathways and drinking fountains. A new events lawn to support festivals and markets will also be delivered.
Residents from Cheltenham, Highett and Pennydale helped shape the new designs, with around 250 submissions received on the early concepts.
More than 90 additional trees will also be planted throughout the reserve, and new cycling and walking paths will connect Highett to Bay Road along the Frankston Railway Line for the first time – improving connections between Highett, Pennydale and surrounding areas.
The new permanent open space will replace parkland in the southern part of Sir William Fry Reserve near Bay Road, which is needed to build the SRL East station in Cheltenham. The new open space will open before major station construction starts in 2028.
Community feedback is now being gathered on the types of trees, vegetation and materials that will be included in Sir William Fry Reserve. The Engage Victoria survey will close Wednesday 17 December 2025, 11.59pm.
The new underground station in Cheltenham will be the southern gateway to SRL, connecting more people to this bustling jobs, shopping and dining hub, and providing Frankston line passengers with a convenient connection to Monash and Deakin universities.
Construction is well underway on SRL East, with more than 3000 people already working on the project, tunnel boring machines launching next year in Clarinda and Burwood and trains running in 2035.