Doncaster Hill is one of the highest points in the metropolitan area of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Australia. Located in the suburb of
Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
, it is 120 metres above sea level and has uninterrupted views of
the city,
Port Phillip
Port Phillip ( Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is com ...
,
Macedon Ranges
The Macedon Ranges is a region in Central Victoria, known for its expansive native forests, vibrant arts scene, thriving food and wine industries (including weekly farmers' markets) and natural attractions such as Hanging Rock and Mount Macedon. It ...
, the
You Yang Ranges and
Dandenong Ranges. The hill experienced extensive low-density urban development during the 1960s and 70s, consisting of typical detached suburban dwellings.
The surrounding transport infrastructure is heavily reliant on private automobiles. The
City of Manningham has enacted policies to encourage high-density development atop the hill, however it lacks a holistic policy and incentives scheme to properly encourage sustainable urban development and
transit-oriented development
In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between ...
. As a result, the housing available is generally marketed to higher income earners and are of low practical quality.
Government planning strategies
![Melbourne From Doncaster Hill](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Melbourne_From_Doncaster_Hill.JPG)
The ''Doncaster Hill Precinct'' strategy is a 20-year, A$2 billion proposal created by the
City of Manningham for the area. The precinct identified by the strategy is located from
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
's central business district. It is situated close to main arterial roads, including the
Eastern Freeway, but is poorly served by public transport, with access to only buses.
The
strategy aims to create an
urban village
In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village id ...
which reduces
urban sprawl
Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted growt ...
that would otherwise place pressure on natural environments in the
green wedges to the precinct's east. The proposal includes both residential and commercial developments. Streetscapes, parks, transport and planning schemes are all being improved and amended as part of the proposal.
Previous developments in the area include the
Westfield Doncaster
Westfield Doncaster (formerly Doncaster Shoppingtown) is a shopping centre 50% owned by Scentre Group and 25% owned by ISPT and 25% owned by Asia Property Fund (as of May 2015) located in Doncaster, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...
shopping centre, built in 1970 on a site previously occupied by a grocer shop as well as a few medium-density residential buildings. A few projects have already begun on Doncaster Hill, which has so far been limited to residential towers and flats that are built to take advantage of the views. In spite of expensive council promotion, investors are shying away from committing to a proposal that does not include upgraded public transport and parking requirements as well as the difficult topography.
The Hill Strategy does not comply with the ideals of the State Planning Department because of its inability to provide walking and bicycling paths.
Some investors want to undertake developments like that of
Council House 2
Council House 2 (also known as CH2), is an office building located at 240 Little Collins Street in the Melbourne central business district, Australia. It is used by the City of Melbourne council, and in April 2005, became the first purpose-built ...
in Melbourne's
CBD and argue that the Manningham City council's proposal for the Doncaster Hill precinct is dated and should focus more on sustainability to entice investors.
Eastern Golf Club
Slightly down the hill towards the city is the Eastern Golf Club, a golf course which has been proposed to be sold. Although three preservation groups advocate rezoning the land to prevent any redevelopment,
if the sale goes through, it could be used to construct a medium-density sustainable urban precinct treating its own waste, collecting its own water and generating its own electricity. Many suggest coupling this potential sustainable land development with the Doncaster Hill precinct to create one of the largest car-free areas in the world in an existing urban environment. However, this is unlikely as it would require large political support.
The group Retain Eastern At Doncaster (READ) attempted to present the alternative to relocation which would keep The Eastern Golf Club in its location at Doncaster. Neighbourhood gatherings to show support to the members were held, local government and expert consultation was made and support gained especially from Manningham City Council, MP Mary Wooldridge and Councillors. Provision for water was explored and planned for—water was the significant resource needed to build a sustainable future for the club. the club's land has been sold to Mirvac.
For information regarding the alternative to relocation, also discussion & support messages. http://easternsupport.bravehost.com/index.html
Doncaster Tower Reconstruction
Many local residents and historical societies have suggested constructing a replica of the original Doncaster Tower atop Doncaster Hill. The proposal suggests it be constructed of reinforced concrete clad in timber to replicate the original construction. This would provide another man-made drawcard to the area, providing 360-degree views of Melbourne and its surrounding environment as well as increased telecommunication installation opportunities.
Precincts
There are seven proposed precincts in the Doncaster Hill planning strategy. Five of the precincts are residential, one is retail and the other is for civic purposes.
Precinct 1
Precinct 1, or the Civic Precinct, covers the non-residential area off Doncaster Road, near the municipal offices.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Doncaster Hill official website
Geography of Melbourne