What is a 20-minute neighbourhood? 

How do we create a liveable Melbourne? 

Plan Melbourne 2017–2050 is the Victorian Government’s long-term planning strategy, guiding the way the city will grow and change to 2050.

Plan Melbourne is supported by the principle of 20-minute neighbourhoods. The 20-minute neighbourhood is all about ‘living locally’—giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs within a 20-minute return walk from home, with access to safe cycling and local transport options.

These connected and walkable places are where people can live, work and play; buy their bread and milk, work from home or local business, access services and meet their neighbours at the central gathering places.

20-minute neighbourhoods. (2022, September 26). https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-for-melbourne/plan-melbourne/20-minute-neighbourhoods?fbclid=IwAR1SUALwdkvkrAX1Q79EP2uUkinK8sYR1bEpLQbzelNoHE4dg-LSyCzzQHY

Establishment of municipal govt. & the impact on the Wurundjeri - The Aboriginal History of Yarra. (2013). Aboriginalhistoryofyarra.com.au. https://aboriginalhistoryofyarra.com.au/12-establishment-of-municipal-government-and-the-impact-on-the-wurundjeri/

‌

The Yarra Waterfall used to stretch across the river where Queen Street is today. It was demolished in 1883.

Read about the land use here.

museumoflost. (2022, March 11). The Yarra Waterfall - The Museum of Lost Things. The Museum of Lost Things. https://www.museumoflost.com/the-yarra-waterfall/

‌

THE MELBOURNE LAND MARKET. - South Australian Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1895) - 4 May 1889. (2014). Trove; Trove. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/95142842?searchTerm=melbourne%20land%20use#

‌

Urban equality: equitable access to green space in Melbourne. 

Cities People Love (est. 2020) is a social enterprise organisation dedicated to the creation and curation of urban research that can engage and empower communities to influence policy and practice.

Throughout history, cities have struggled to provide equality for all citizens. Issues of equality extend to the ways that urban form can affect residents’ experiences and wellbeing [1]. At the time of writing, this issue is crucial, with Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory all emerging from extended lockdowns due to Covid-19. For residents of metropolitan Melbourne lockdowns have become a familiar tool in the race to contain the pandemic with residents having experienced more than 200 days of some of the strictest lockdown conditions globally.

The issue of inequity in access to green space is particularly important in cities like Melbourne, where heatwaves are likely to reach 50°C by 2040. In this case, green space could mitigate the impacts of the urban heat island effect and the cooling effect of green spaces could play an essential role in maintaining city resiliency to any future pandemic

Urban equality: Equity of access to green space in Melbourne. (n.d.). Cities People Love. https://citiespeoplelove.co/article/urban-equality-equity-of-access-to-green-space-in-melbourne

Cities for Play: Designing streets that prioritise children over cars

“As planners and designers of our built environments we need to start seriously questioning why the convenience of drivers is so often prioritised over the health and wellbeing of children in the design of our streets.”

The reasons for the increasingly sedentary lives of Australian children are complex and have been attributed to a range of factors. The increased traffic on local streets coupled with the reduced number of informal spaces for play, as well as “stranger-danger” perceptions and an increase in screen-based entertainment, have all contributed to the rapid decline of children’s outdoor free play [10].

Even though the reasons are multi-faceted, the design and planning of our cities can provide a fundamental shift in facilitating opportunities which encourage children to partake in active transport, play and incidental physical activity. Redesigning streets to ensure that children can safely walk to school and play directly outside their home gives parents the ability to passively supervise children while going about their housework or working from home arrangements. It also means that children can easily meet other children living nearby, making meaningful connections with their community, while relieving the stress placed on parents to chauffer children to areas designated for play.

Cities for play: Designing streets that prioritise children over cars. (n.d.). Cities People Love. https://citiespeoplelove.co/article/cities-for-play-designing-streets-that-prioritise-children-over-cars

If you care about nature in Victoria ...

Wintle, B., & Bekessy, S. (2022, November 18). If you care about nature in Victoria, this is your essential state election guide. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/if-you-care-about-nature-in-victoria-this-is-your-essential-state-election-guide-194805

‌