Construction has begun on a massive new urban park in Melbourne connecting Forest Hill, Vermont and the Dandenong trail with 35 hectares of open space and trails.
ngarrak nakorang wilam park will snake across Melbourne’s east when construction finishes in mid-2026.
Construction has begun on a massive new urban park that will connect Forest Hill, Vermont and the Dandenong trail with 35 hectares of open space and walking trails. Member for Glen Waverley John Mullahy announced the project this week, representing Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos at the groundbreaking for ngarrak nakorang wilam park.
Families and communities will soon have access to the equivalent of 18 MCGs worth of recreational space, complete with modern facilities and wildlife habitat. ngarrak nakorang wilam park has been designed with extensive community consultation to ensure it meets local needs and provides the right amenities in optimal locations.
ngarrak nakorang wilam park – Melbourne
- Where: Forest Hill to Vermont, connecting to Dandenong trail
- When: Construction began this week, completion mid-2026
- Cost: $10.5 million Victorian government investment
- Size: 35 hectares (equivalent to 18 MCGs)
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A 3.5km shared-use trail will form the backbone of the park, featuring seating, drinking fountains, lighting and signage at key points along the route. Cyclists, runners and walkers will be able to traverse the entire length while enjoying dedicated activity spaces with play equipment, picnic tables, shelters and barbecues.
Modern facilities include accessible toilet blocks strategically positioned throughout the park. A comprehensive vegetation strategy will enhance biodiversity with new plantings providing habitat for gang-gang cockatoos, kookaburras and echidnas, while weed control and nesting boxes will further improve the local environment.
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation chose the name ngarrak nakorang wilam, meaning Mountain Meeting Place. This celebrates Traditional Owner connections to Country while expressing how parks bring communities together across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Victorian government funding of $10.5 million has transformed the previously underutilised Healesville Freeway Reserve into what will become one of Melbourne’s premier urban parks when completed.
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