2018 National Landscape Architecture Awards: Award of Excellence for Infrastructure

Jury citation:

The Darebin Yarra Trail Link is an exciting and beautifully executed project. The leadership, vision and dedication of a multidisciplinary team have delivered an iconic infrastructure project that is an exemplar for Australia. This project is the result of twenty-five years of community advocacy. Set in a complex and environmentally sensitive location, the project clearly involved extensive collaboration with adjoining property holders and other stakeholders. The 2.7-kilometre shared user trail provides a vital missing link in a network of more than six hundred kilometres of metropolitan off-road trails.

The hand of the landscape architects is evident in the detail, integration and beauty of this infrastructure. The link is highly effective in promoting active transport, while the design sensitively integrates the constructed elements with the environment. The thought and imagination that the design team put into this are evident in beautifully constructed infrastructure that achieves maximum community benefit with minimal environmental impact.

Location: City of Darebin (VIC)

Aboriginal Nation: Wuywurrung