Higgins Park and Playfield Reserve Masterplan

The final masterplan was approved at the December 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting and funding for the lighting upgrade component of the masterplan was approved in the 2022-23 Annual Budget. The Town is currently undergoing a lighting design process, with more information on our project page here. 

Higgins Park, Fred Bell Parade and Playfield Reserve (the site) form an eight-hectare parcel of public open space. This site is regarded as one of the Town’s main formal sporting facilities as well as a key recreational amenity for the local community. Given the site’s land size, the projected population growth, the need for formalised sporting areas, and the recently adopted Public Open Space Strategy, the Town appointed consultant Place Laboratory to prepare a number of masterplan options for the site.

The masterplan options sought to:

• Optimise regional active recreation opportunities on the site.
• Maximise and modernise the recreational offering of the site.
• Enhance and provide passive recreation amenity to the local community.
• Make public open space and Town assets work for the community.
• Align with and deliver on objectives of the Public Open Space Strategy.

Three options were developed to identify future uses of the parks, as follows:

• Option 1: Investigation of the development of a synthetic hockey turf on the Hillview Terrace side of Higgins Park (in addition to an Australian Rules Football Oval);
• Option 2: Consideration of adding two grass hockey pitches on the Hillview Terrace side of Higgins Park, in addition to the synthetic pitch.
• Option 3: The development of a second oval for a complete football focus should the synthetic hockey turf be considered unfeasible*.

*unfeasible means that it is prohibitive spatially, financially or the impact on the community is considered unacceptable.

The masterplan options were developed through a co-design workshop process with a Design Reference Group, which included members of the community and representatives from the stakeholder groups. The process of reaching these options was as follows:

• Stage 1 – Analysis and Opportunity Identification, February to March 2020
• Stage 2 – Exploration of Concept Options, April to May 2020
• Stage 3 – Refinement of Concept Options, June to August 2020
• Stage 4 – Public Comment and Council Resolution, September to December 2020

In September 2020, Council approved the three masterplan options to proceed to public advertising. Following the public engagement process, and a significant level of public interest in the masterplan options, a report was presented to Council at a Special Council Meeting in December 2020, summarising the public engagement and making the following recommendation:

• the sporting configuration as shown in option 3;
• further investigation into the closure or shared use of Playfield Street between Ramsden Avenue and Etwell Street,
• further investigation into the closure or shared use of Fred Bell Parade from Hill View Terrace,
• an extension of the youth zone, fitness equipment and ramped access on the embankment, as shown in option 3, and
• a community play space, as shown in option 3, maximising the space available with the preferred sporting configuration.

This recommendation, with amendments, was carried by the Elected Members and can be seen in the Council Report provided on this page. 

The final masterplan includes:

• One senior and one junior AFL oval;
• One senior and one junior cricket oval;
• Centrally located shared sports building to accommodate all clubs, including multi directional viewing areas;
• Retained tennis and croquet courts, with improved access from the new shared sports building, and a spectators viewing area;
• Traffic calming measures to Playfield Street to improve the safety and connection to Millen Primary School. Further investigation will be carried out to the closure of Playfield Street to traffic between Etwell Street and Ramsden Avenue;
• Further investigation into the closure of Fred Bell Parade from Hill View Terrace;
• Universal access path network around perimeter and through key routes within the park, including connection to the Hill View Terrace bus stop;
• All ages community facilities including fitness equipment and spectator seating around perimeter of oval;
• All ages, multi ability community playground on Higgins Park with shade structure, picnic and BBQ facilities, bike racks, drink fountain and way finding signage;
• Removal of the existing tennis club building and replacement with a youth zone including mixed sports courts, graphic surface treatment, terraced embankment, lighting, drink fountain, planting and bike racks;
• Improved access and use of the embankment between Higgins Park and Playfield Reserve, including universal access and sloped play areas;
• Upgrades to Playfield Reserve including seating terraces, picnic setting, drink fountain and small nature play space;
• Upgrades to surrounds of RSL including expansion of forecourt for outdoor events, additional tree planting, universal access footpaths and reconfiguration of car parking;
• Re-vegetation and expansion of existing Kokoda trails network including wayfinding, signage and the possible closure of Fred Bell Parade from Hill View Terrace;
• Removal of turf from the sloped boundary areas and from under trees, replaced with locally native vegetation and garden beds;
• Increased canopy coverage;
• Increased lighting to informal and formal recreation areas;
• Formalised parking configurations.