One of the most culturally diverse places in Australia, Noble Park is being transformed with new outdoor spaces, improved streetscapes and a new community garden.
Noble Park is working towards a strong and prosperous future with the help of the Suburban Revitalisation Program.
The suburb is one of the most culturally diverse places in Australia. More than 50% of residents were born overseas and it is home to almost 30% of Victoria’s asylum seekers.
Noble Park is one of 8 suburbs supported by the Suburban Revitalisation Board Program due to its significant change and growth in recent years.
The program provides funding to support diverse local projects, create opportunities for businesses and support the aspirations of the wider community.
In 2018, the removal of the level crossing led to the redevelopment of Noble Park’s train station. Since then, almost $3.5 million has been invested through the Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board into community-led projects in the suburb to create safe and inviting public spaces and boost support for local traders.
The Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board is chaired by Mr Lee Tarlamis OAM, who is the State Member for South-Eastern Metropolitan. Other board members include the City of Greater Dandenong CEO and Mayor and other key community stakeholders.
Mr Tarlamis says it’s a shared approach when developing projects.
‘The Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board works collaboratively across sectors to identify, support and deliver initiatives that boost economic and community benefits in Noble Park.
‘Noble Park’s Suburban Revitalisation Board provides a local voice to its initiatives, working with local communities to identify opportunities for locally-led projects to make Noble Park thrive,’ added Mr Tarlamis.
Upgrading Noble Park’s busiest streets
Two of Noble Park’s main streets, Ian Street and Douglas Street, have been prioritised for key streetscape upgrades. Both are busy streets next to the train station with everything from hairdressers, specialist food stores and restaurants featuring cuisines from all over the world.
With the removal of the level crossing, the streets are now connected. The streetscape upgrades will make the precinct more attractive and accessible, and allow shoppers to move more easily between shopping strips.
‘These upgrades so far have reactivated local businesses and greatly improved the connected public spaces,’ said Cr Eden Foster, Mayor of Greater Dandenong City Council and member of the Noble Park Revitalisation Board.
‘Our community can now easily navigate their way through the Noble Park Activity Centre via new pathways that celebrate our unique cultural diversity, and pay homage to our rich heritage,’ she added.
The Ian Street Streetscape project is underway and will support improved pedestrian crossings and footpaths, landscaping, street furniture and tactical urbanism interventions such as façade improvements, asphalt artwork and a community mural.
Douglas Street, which was finished in mid-2022, now features safer footpaths and pedestrian crossings, more trees and outdoor seating.
Inviting outdoor spaces
Alongside the improved streetscapes, Noble Park is getting more community spaces.
A new all-abilities playground at Ross Reserve, just off Heatherton Road, opened by the Premier of Victoria in November 2021, adds to a space that is already much-loved by the community.
It was a joint funding initiative by Sport and Recreation Victoria, City of Greater Dandenong and funding from the Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board.
The Frank Street Open Space Redevelopment, just off Dougals Street, has created a new public open space for Noble Park. It forms part of a green corridor between Ross Reserve, Aubrey Moss Memorial Gardens and Copas Park Rose Garden.
With designs based on community feedback, it was completed in 2022, providing residents with access to open outdoor spaces, stretching across both sides of the train line.
The space includes landscaping, chairs and table and a performance platform so that residents can rest and enjoy the surroundings within walking distance of Douglas Street.
‘It provides pedestrians with a seamless connection between key community spaces throughout Noble Park,’ said Mayor Foster.
‘It encourages our community to further connect outdoors,’ she added.
Down the road at AMES Noble Park, the Our Space Community Garden has been delivered. AMES is an agency dedicated to helping new arrivals settle in the area.
Jayne Ho, AMES Representative on the Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation Board, believes the garden is the beginning of bigger things.
‘We see this as the first step towards an environmentally sustainable precinct, that gives space and a voice to culturally diverse communities living in south-east Melbourne,’ she said.
Mr Tarlamis believes all these projects will help Noble Park thrive now and long into the future.
‘We're committed to a safe, vibrant and accessible community, which is set up to support future generations in Noble Park.’
Page last updated: 08/06/23