In 2022 Council adopted the Gardiners Creek (Kooyongkoot) Master Plan. One of the actions in this plan is to ‘investigate opportunities for the Burke Road underpass, such as improved lighting, public art etc.’
When Melbourne Water delivered a project to rehabilitate the Gardiners Creek Main Sewer in 2022, Council advocated for additional funding and support to deliver on this action from the master plan given its close proximity to the works.
Primarily funded by Melbourne Water with support from Council, a new mural with lighting is now set to be installed at the location from mid-October 2023.
About the mural and lighting project
Artist Tom Civil has been engaged to create the mural which will wrap around the walls and ceiling of the 45m long underpass. The mural pays tribute to the underwater ecosystem of Gardiners Creek, showcasing species like short-finned eels, yabbies, tadpoles, and aquatic plants.
We facilitated collaboration between the artist and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Council on the design of the mural which has now been approved by the Elders.
Installation of new lighting which meets current shared trail lighting standards is also being delivered to highlight the mural and improve safety in the area.
Artist impression only, subject to change
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Burke Road underpass as it currently looks
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Timeline
Works are expected to take place between mid-October 2023 and early-November 2023. During this time, some limited single-lane closures of sections of the Gardiners Creek Trail are expected to occur within this underpass. These closures will be managed with traffic supervision for the duration of the works.
