Works are underway... Whelans Group Investments Pty Ltd have commenced clearing the site, with much of the old playground already removed.

	signage on the construction fence (Nicholson Street)	signage on the construction fence (Forest Road)

Access to Orbost’s Forest Park will be limited for the next few months while we upgrade the facilities.

Visitors to the area are asked to observe construction signage and any directions from the contractor during the works.

Access to Orbost’s Forest Park will be limited for the next few months while we upgrade the facilities. Visitors to the area are asked to observe construction signage and any directions from the contractor during the works.

Following community feedback, the commencement of the project was delayed so we didn’t interrupt usage over the busy Christmas holiday period. Our contractor, Whelans Group Investments Pty Ltd, has since moved back on site and commenced works.

Funding for this project has been provided by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications through the Regional Recovery Partnerships program, and East Gippsland Shire Council.

Project updates will be provided on YourSay when available.

Following community feedback, the commencement of the project has been delayed accommodating community events and a busy period for the Orbost township.

The contractor, Whelans Group Investments Pty Ltd, intends to mobilise to site on 29 January 2024 to commence this exciting upgrade for the Orbost community and travelling public.

Tender Contract Awarded

Council awarded the tender contract at their meeting on 26 September to Whelans Group Investments. Works are likely to commence onsite in January 2024.

The tender for construction of the Orbost Forest Park civil works was awarded at the 26 September Council meeting to local East Gippsland business Whelans Group Investments.

The revised scope for the upgrade of the park was required to meet the available budget and was approved by the project reference group.

Whelans are hoping to mobilise to site to conduct some of the initial works prior to Christmas and then commence further works in the New Year. The upgrade of the park will greatly improve local amenity and visitor experience.

The revised project scope has been accepted.

The fig tree in the centre of the roundabout has been assessed as in decline and it is unlikely that the tree will be viable in the medium to long term. Council understands that there is sentimentality to this particular fig tree, but it has struggled to live in its location.

It has been decided to remove the tree and replace it with a more suitable species. Each of these species are suitable to be placed within the centre of a roundabout as their root systems will not be constrained or impacted by surrounding kerb and asphalt.

The proposed options are:

• Acer Rubrum 'October Glory'
• Fraxinus Pennsylvanica 'Urbanite' or
• Nyssa Sylvatica

Detailed design will be finalised within a month, with procurement to follow. The Chamber of Commerce has requested that Council avoid closure of the park over the summer period (December / January). Council is discussing how to programme the works to accommodate this while adhering to the milestone requirements of the funding agreement.

To view the latest design, click here

The project's scope and proposed concept plan has been amended due to budget constraints.

Council are proposing to deliver:

• a new toilet block
• a new junior play area
• main picnic shelter
• main retaining wall and;
• a portion of the car park works

While the scope items to be removed are:

• the Forest Rd carpark improvements
• rail trail head
• path improvements
• a portion of the carpark works
• the all ages play area and;
• the shelter adjacent to the toilet block

The concept plan (provided in the documents section) provides an overview of the revised scope. This has been presented to the Project Representative Group.

A request to vary the scope of the project has been submitted to the Commonwealth Government. Council is waiting on the outcome of this request.

The tender documentation will now be ready in May 2023 with tender award and delivery to follow pending the approval of the variation request.

Council is pleased to advise that the schedule for delivery of this project has been revised with Council and the Commonwealth Government. An update to the project timelines has been provided below.

Detailed Design complete – February 2023

Construction Contract Award – May 2023

Project Complete – September 2024

Community Consultation for the conceptual design was undertaken with six open sessions to discuss the plan, utilising an online survey and co-designed with students from Orbost Secondary College. Their brief was to “design, plan and pitch a proposal for the new Forest Park playground”.

This exciting initiative has been facilitated through the Broadening Horizons Program and will have playground elements suitable for ages 1-15 years.

The local Project Representative Group made up of local Orbost residents will now undertake the review of the detailed design phase.

During the detailed design phase the local Project Representative Group will be undertaking value management due to increasing budgetary pressures due to cost escalations seen throughout the economy. Any changes will be decided on in collaboration with the Project Representative Group and communicated to the wider community.

Council have revised the proposed concept plan due to the outcomes of the consultation sessions. This new plan along with other consultation material can be found in the documents section of this page.

Council Officers will be available in Orbost during the following times to discuss the revised plan:

10 am to 12 pm on 24 May at Ruskin Street Service Centre; and

11 am to 1 pm on 26 May at Nicholson Street, at the end of Lawson Street

Please come along and meet with Council Officers and discuss the proposed concept plans for this exciting upgrade!

Following a thorough community consultation period in 2021 and constructive feedback, Council has decided to heavily revise the initial concept for Forest Park, Orbost, which will revitalise and modernise the town’s premier recreation area, visitor rest-stop and gateway to its rail trail.

In response to this feedback, a new concept plan is being developed with public release to occur in the next two months.

The project will stimulate the local economy and provide significant community benefits to the town.

Council will reconvene a representative group from the community during this time to ensure our response to the feedback is appropriate. Once a new concept plan is developed, planning for procurement and construction will be able to commence.

Council would like to take this opportunity to thank the wider community of Orbost for their valuable input.