The Mallacoota Streetscape Upgrade has reached practical completion. The new-look Maurice Avenue is ready to be enjoyed, bringing safer, more accessible and more welcoming spaces to the heart of Mallacoota.

What’s been delivered

This project has transformed Maurice Avenue into a more pedestrian-friendly and functional space, with key features including:

• raised crossings and traffic-calming measures to improve safety
• wider footpaths and better footpath connections
• new street furniture, native landscaping and upgraded car parking
• dedicated disabled parking and a new EV charging bay

Importantly, there has been no reduction in car parking spaces. In fact, the new layout has added two extra spaces on Maurice Avenue. Accessibility has also been enhanced, with improved footpath connections and four newly designated disabled parking bays located near important destinations such as the pharmacy.

Complementing this project, an additional 11 parking bays and an EV charging space have been installed in nearby Greer Street. The charging station is East Gippsland’s most visually appealing to date – the unit is adorned with beautiful artwork thanks to a collaboration with the Croajingolong Centre for Communications and the Arts. This creative touch integrates local culture into the project and enhances its visual appeal.

The focus of this upgrade has been on creating a safer, more accessible town centre for pedestrians and supporting local business activity. We are continuing work on preferred routes and parking for caravans and other long vehicles and will continue to work through potential solutions to support visiting guests.

Celebrating community and local character

The streetscape upgrade was shaped by community input through a dedicated Project Reference Group, which included representatives from Friends of Mallacoota, Traditional Custodians, seniors, youth, arts groups, local business and accessibility advocates.

As a result of community feedback, we:

• retained large native trees, mosaics, commemorative bricks and the rotunda
• worked with local groups to select plant species that are native and reflect Mallacoota’s existing gardens
• improved safety at the bus stop and ensured new footpaths are accessible to all

Artistic elements on the way

Local creativity will continue to shine through the project. In the coming months, new public art will be installed to celebrate Mallacoota’s culture, natural surrounds and community identity. Our officers will oversee the installation in partnership with the artist.

We extend our thanks to the Mallacoota community and local businesses for their patience and support throughout construction.

This project has been delivered with funding support from the Australian Government’s Community Development Grants Program, the Victorian Government’s Tiny Towns Fund, and Council’s capital works budget.

The Mallacoota Streetscape Upgrade is a key initiative of the Mallacoota Structure Plan and Recovery Plan – supporting commercial activity, tourism and community resilience well into the future.

Keep an eye out for final line marking and the upcoming art installations – and enjoy the new Maurice Avenue streetscape.

Construction of the new centre carpark and surrounding garden landscaping is well underway. While the project experienced some early delays, we’re now making steady progress toward completion.

We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding throughout this journey. Your feedback and involvement have been instrumental in shaping the project. In fact, the final design, which features improved pedestrian safety and three additional parking bays, was developed with strong community input from the outset.

Work this week will focus on the construction of the pathway connection around the rotunda, seamlessly linking the new footpaths and improving accessibility for everyone.

We’ve continued to work closely with the local representative group to finalise a planting schedule that reflects the community’s values. The upcoming landscaping will feature a thoughtful selection of endemic species to enhance the natural beauty of the area and support local biodiversity.

With favourable weather, we’re on track to complete the project by mid-June 2025. The end result will be a revitalised town centre that offers improved accessibility, supports local businesses, and creates a more welcoming space for residents and visitors alike.

Thank you once again for your continued support. We can’t wait to share the finished space with you soon!

Work is continuing at the corner of Develling Drive and Maurice Avenue to improve the intersection, define parking areas, and enhance garden beds.

We remind motorists to drive with care and stick to the 40 km/h speed limit through the work zone.

Additional signage will be installed to further highlight the changes and trees will be planted as part of the works.

This remains an active construction site, so traffic conditions may change. Please drive safely and stay alert.

The upgrade of the footpaths is well underway.

Whelans have put down their tools and tidied things up to ensure safety for all over the busy festive period and will be back on site after Australia Day to complete the final elements.

In the meantime, locals are making good use of the new railing by applying festive touches to welcome visitors!

Further updates will be provided on YourSay following the Council Election on 26 October 2024, and the questions/feedback tab will be reinstated.

From 12.00 noon Tuesday 17 September until 6.00 pm on Saturday 26 October (Election Day) we will be in the Local Government Election Period (also known as Caretaker Period).

During this time, we will limit our printed communications, website content, social media activity, and community consultations. The ability for people to comment on our social media content will also be disabled during the Election Period.

Each of these steps is to ensure our content does not affect voting in the election and is consistent with steps taken by other Victorian Councils and the Local Government Act 2020.

These changes are only temporary; we'll be back to normal communication activity after the election.

The installation of the EV charging station, which will be located in the carpark outside the art gallery.

We are delighted to announce the Victorian State Government has chipped in with additional funding to support the EV charger project, which will be delivered before the end of the year.

Current Developments:

• AusNet Supply: We have received the supply offer from AusNet, which includes providing electricity to a new pit near the garden bed. This setup is essential for the operation of the EV charging station.
• Electrical Infrastructure: A new electrical switchboard will be installed in the garden bed next to the pit. This switchboard will be crucial for supplying power to the charging station.
• Carpark Design: To ensure the best operational efficiency and aesthetic appeal, a single carpark space will be designated for EV charging. This space will be painted green and positioned next to the central garden bed, minimising the distance between the charging station and the switchboard, and helping to keep costs down. The chosen location will maintain the visual harmony of the area.

Artistic Touch: In collaboration with the Croajingolong Centre for Communications and the Arts, the EV charging station will be adorned with artwork, integrating our local culture into the project, and enhancing its appeal.

Next Steps:

• AusNet Installation: AusNet will complete the supply to the new charger when it is installed.
• Switchboard and Charging Station: Over the next three months, we will proceed with the installation of the switchboard and the charging station.
• Electricity Account Setup: Following installation, a new electricity account will be established for the Shire using Chargefox software. Customers will require an account, with the cost estimated to be approximately 41c / kWh.

The Mallacoota streetscape upgrade will enhance the appeal of the town centre by complementing the local character of the site with native plantings and aggregate pathways which are inspired by the cliffs at nearby Quarry Beach.

The shelter located at the Western end of Marice Avenue provides a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, and encloses a significant mosaic made by Aboriginal Elders. New landscaping around the shelter will include a mounded garden with native plantings.

We were pleased to support the Mallacoota Arts Council Inc.'s application to the Victorian Government's Tiny Towns Fund for improvements to the Mallacoota rotunda. This initiative aligns with our Culture and Creativity Strategy 2023-2033, which emphasises priorities outlined in the Council Plan for making "Our Place accessible, safe, connected, and healthy."

We are delighted to announce their application was successful. Sculptural screens have been designed to create a striking arrival point and enliven the gathering place with laser-cut images of birds, native plants and boats reflecting Mallacoota's natural and cultural environment.

This community project perfectly complements Council's streetscape improvements and will help screen the busy round about next to the park, creating an enclosed garden-like ambiance around the shelter.

The six sculptural screens will be made from 6MM HW350 Corten Steel rolled into gentle curves. The corten steel will complement the native plantings in the garden and speaks to the rugged wilderness landscape and rural history of the site.
The artwork screens are to be cut from 6mm thick steel. Each screen will be rolled into a gentle curve. The sculpture would be blasted all over to achieve a uniform effect before naturally weathering to a warm rusty colour.		The perforation sizes will be refined to make sure that they do not present a risk of entrapment. Situated in the garden and surrounded by native plantings the sculpture is clearly an artwork, not an invitation to climb.

This photo shows the depth of the construction - literally!

Additional images will be added to the photos folder as we progress.

We welcome your continued interest in this project and encourage you to sign-up to follow the project on YourSay to receive project updates direct to your inbox, when significant information is available to share.

We have reached an exciting milestone, with our construction contractor, Whelans starting construction works at the IGA end of the Maurice Avenue shopping precinct on Monday 22 July 2024.

Vehicle access along Maurice Avenue will remain open and available during the streetscape upgrade, with every attempt made to maintain access to the shops during the works. Should you have any concerns regarding access, please contact Whelans' Bairnsdale head office on (03) 5152 2844 to be put in touch with the Construction Manager in charge of these works.

Mallacoota’s Maurice Avenue upgrades have commenced!

Upgrades to Mallacoota’s Maurice Avenue have commenced, with Whelans Group Investments Pty Ltd (Whelans) moving to site this week to begin preliminary works.

The project encompasses a range of enhancements, including formalised car parking and road-calming measures to provide a safer and more appealing environment for residents and visitors alike.

Community feedback was instrumental in shaping the design, reflecting our collaborative approach to prioritising the needs and preferences of our local communities.

Some changes were made to the concept design following additional work with the project reference group, including:

• incorporating the rotunda, mosaics, commemorative bricks, and mature trees into the design.
• modifying the bus stop kerb to improve safety and access.
• ensuring footpaths are accessible, adding dedicated parking bays, and extending the native garden beds.

We are committed to delivering these enhancements to the Mallacoota Streetscape in a timely and efficient manner, ensuring a significant improvement to the area's infrastructure and overall appeal before the 2024 Christmas holiday season.

Regular updates will be provided directly to local traders, and to community through project updates on YourSay. Further enquiries can be directed to the Project Supervisor on 03 5153 9500.