Award-winning urban designers partner with local green groups to create community-led plan for Brisbane’s Victoria Park

Award-winning urban planning and design practice RobertsDay, together with six Brisbane community groups, has developed the only community-led design concept for the redevelopment of Victoria Park. The cooperative – called Fair Future Grounds – has conceptualised the site as an urban farm and raises awareness of the need to make food, farming and locally produced food more visible in the city.

Fair Future Grounds has submitted its proposal in response to Brisbane City Council requesting a vision for the future of the park – located on 309 Herston Road, Herston – that will protect green space for future generations and encourage enhancements down the track. The council is calling for feedback from the community by 29 September, in evolving it into a world-class parkland, to give residents and visitors a better lifestyle, more connectedness and a greener city.

The Brisbane community groups that have provided input on the community-led plan include a range of charitable organisations, urban agriculture not-for-profits and leading community farms in Brisbane: Our Fair System, Green the Street, Mini Farm Project, Sun & Soil, Jane Street Community Garden, and Future Wild.

Catherine Simpson, senior urban designer at Roberts Day Brisbane, says: “The mission of Fair Future Grounds is to create a liveable and interactive space for Brisbane to showcase the potential of local food systems, drive climate initiatives and provide a nurturing space to relax and play. The elements of the design have all been envisioned within the existing contours of the golf course and retain existing mature trees, driving range and putt-putt course.”

“Fair Future Ground’s major design focus is the productive urban farming hub which will provide access to organic, locally grown produce as a way to strengthen food security – by growing food for those in need. It will also provide a learning, training and testing site for urban agriculture, and aims to create a community centred around food and connection to the land.”

Further key points of the design includes:

• Grassed open space for recreation and sport activities, as this provides the foundation for a liveable city and strengthens the community
• Native forest with native bush regeneration, bush walking tracks, sky walks and nature education. This will create habitat for local wildlife, strengthen local biodiversity, and assist in carbon storage and climate change mitigation
• An Indigenous centre that will offer education to the public on native bush tucker, and Indigenous arts and culture, to celebrate the city’s rich Indigenous culture and recognise the Traditional Owners of the land
• Lagoons that will allow for water storage. This will ease the impact of floods and droughts, to ensure future water security
• An interconnected network of pathways for active transport through the park, to provide connections between key city precincts and encourage low carbon commuting
• Arts and culture spaces for concerts, events and outdoor exhibitions to strengthen Brisbane’s culture and community
• Healing spaces to help people reconnect to restorative nature and soft landscapes, particularly for nearby patients of the hospital and for respite within the city
• A playground for kids for skating, mini golf and water play

Catherine says: “We think it is critically important that the future of, what will be Brisbane’s second largest park, not only takes into account the rich history of the current site but also incorporates the views and visions of the local community, the Traditional Custodians of the land and is created in a co-design process. We are proud to submit the Fair Future Grounds vision to the Brisbane City Council and hope the community gets behind our vision in creating a brighter, greener future for Brisbane.”

Brisbane City Council is asking for public feedback on the future of Victoria Park by 29 September. To support Fair Future Ground’s vision in creating an urban farm, provide feedback here and reference ‘Fair Future Grounds’ in your submission.

robertsday.com.au