A new 18,000 square metre urban garden filled with biodiverse planting, public art and places for rest is being built as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project.
The urban garden will be roughly the size of the MCG and will connect the creative venues and food outlets across the precinct and be a new home for events and activations to be hosted in the centre of Melbourne.
Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks has announced the official name of the garden – Laak Boorndap – alongside Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Language Elder Aunty Gail Smith. The name means “heaven’s beauty” and is reflective of the garden’s role of bringing people together to celebrate community and culture.
Aunty Gail Smith said “I gave it the name Laak Boorndap because to me it means a beautiful place for all people to visit and recognise our Country and our Wurundjeri ancestors. It’s not just a placename, it brings Sky Country, the heavens, and everyone back together on sacred ground.”
Laak Boorndap will be open to the public 24-hours a day and will stretch from Hamer Hall to Southbank Boulevard with public artworks, plants, and a water feature. There will also be a First Peoples public artwork that will sit alongside contemporary sculptures from the NGV and Arts Centre collections.
The garden is one of the most complex designs of any public garden in the world. Works are scheduled to start in 2026.diverse and ever-changing.”
