Altona Green Reserve

To provide an active recreational area for the public and a residential development that incorporates high environmental standards, chiefly through retention and reuse of stormwater.  

Hobsons Bay City Council teamed up with Altona Green Primary School to upgrade the existing school playground and sports facilities and to develop vacant land into a financially successful and environmentally sustainable, recreational and residential area. A portion of the area was developed for residential purposes, in order to finance the recreational aspect of the project. The stormwater from these residential properties is diverted into a filter system underneath a swale in the recreational park that consists of two ovals. Stormwater is also collected from the main road, Skipper Drive. This road is sloped towards the park to allow collection. This water is then discharged into a swale that acts not only as a drain and conveyance system, but also as a filtration device. Excess stormwater from the two ovals is also diverted into a swale. All the stormwater is collected in a 400,000 litre underground storage tank. This water is then used for irrigation on the two sports ovals, one that existed prior to the development and one new sports oval. Previously storm water from the area was diverted directly into Port Phillip Bay. Maintenance is primarily undertaken by the council, although there is currently little maintenance required.  

The overall cost of the project is estimated at $6 million, this includes estate and park development as well as the WSUD component. The individual cost of the WSUD stormwater system was estimated to be around $250,000. As the project provides treatment and storage of storm water, Melbourne Water waived required contributions to the Laverton Drainage Scheme. This saved $200,000 to the total cost of the project.