Tara Murray
It’ll be a bright future for one of the largest and most significant passive open spaces within the Melton municipality.
Melton council at its June council meeting, passed the final Lake Caroline masterplan, which details plans for the lake’s future.
The development of the masterplan and activation strategy was identified to provide a vision and principles to guide the future development and activation of the lake and its surroundings.
The lake is 20 years old and the bridge and many original design elements need to be renewed in coming years, a report to council stated.
More than 500 submissions were received during community and stakeholder consultation undertaken by council in 2023.
A further 300 people provided feedback on the draft plan, with nearly 60 per cent strongly supporting it and more than 90 per cent supporting it.
Elements with the highest levels of support were the tree plantings (91 per cent) and boathouse café and toilet (92 per cent).
Proposed projects outlined as part of the plan include a mid-lake crossing, dedicated event lawn, playspace upgrade, a shared zone along Lake Street for markets and festivals, and new viewing platforms.
Seven different precinct zones have been identified within the reserve, focusing on environmental, leisure and activity based activation strategies.
Councillor Steve Abboushi said it was one of the most popular open spaces within Melton.
“Local residents enjoy exercising around the lake, catching up with family and friends who are just taking in the beautiful surrounds and wildlife,” he said.
“Our council understands the importance of the lake and the potential opportunities to make it an even greater destination for residents and visitors alike
“Last year we set out to create a strategic vision for the site’s long term future, we carried out extensive public consultation.
“This strategy provides a vision to reinvigorate Lake Caroline… And turn it into a vibrant and inviting community space.”
