The Birrarung Valley Walk (“the Walk”) is a proposed 220+ km multi-day walk following the Birrarung (YarraRiver) valley on public land, supported by a mobile app with enriching Environmental, First Nations and post-colonial arts and architectural content. For the first time on Earth, a city’s great river will be walkable from its urban estuary to the mountain catchment that feeds it. But it is not simply a trail. It is the public activation of a decade of Victorian Government vision: the missing piece that turns landmark legislation, governance reform and the significant annual investment in Birrarung into a living, walked, loved experience for every Melburnian.
This is a unique, “whole of river” project that seeks to protect, promote and celebrate the Birrarung’s public lands and its natural environment, supporting the key performance objectives of Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo (Yarra Strategic Plan) and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation’s Whole of Country Plan. The Walk will foster the community’s appreciation of these areas for their ecological and cultural significance, their scientific values and their natural beauty. Along the way, the Walk will help the Birrarung valley to fulfil its potential to contribute to community health and wellbeing and will celebrate the catchment’s vital role as Melbourne’s major water source.
Birrarung Valley Walk Inc. is working in deep partnership with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (WWCHAC) and has signed Memoranda of Understanding with all key stakeholders and land managers of the river, including: Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria and the Victorian Planning Authority Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) Banyule, Boroondara, Hobsons Bay, Manningham, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Stonnington and Yarra City Councils and Yarra Ranges Shire, Council Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
Project Governance
In order to support a co-design approach and strong First Nations representation at all decision-making points, the project has three governance bodies.
The Birrarung Valley Walk Inc. Board: Bruce Parncutt AO (Chair), Aunty Julieanne Axford, Aunty Alice Kolasa, Aunty Doreen Garvey-Wandin, Christopher Balmford, Prof Chris Chesterfield and Nichola Lefroy (Executive Director). Responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the organisation.
The BVW Steering Committee: Prof John Thwaites AM (Chair), representatives of each of the signatories to the MOU, Bruce Parncutt AO and Nichola Lefroy. Responsible for guiding key decisions on the walking corridor, visual identity, project milestones and implementation strategies.
The BVW Elder Consultation Committee: Prof Chris Chesterfield (Chair), Aunty Julieanne Axford, Aunty Doreen Garvey-Wandin, Aunty Alice Kolasa, Uncle Bill Nicholson, Aunty Gail Smith, Katrina Larkham, Caitlin Davis, Charley Woolmore and Nichola Lefroy. Responsible for progressing project matters within WWCHAC and providing expert cultural advice on all matters of importance to the community. Includes representatives from Elders, Special Projects, Water and Education Units.
Walk overview
220km
13 day itinerary, based on an average 15-20km daily distance
Trail based on reaching accommodation and food nodes wherever possible
Required Trail Works
Open & Accessible (no work required): 177.3km (80%)
Informal In-Use (formalisation and upgrades required): 4.7km (2%)
Formal Closed (permission required for public access): 23.1 km (11%)
New Trail Construction: 14.7 km (7%)**
** 11.9km of this is the already identified Yarra Valley Trail project Stage 2b. New build specifically triggered by Birrarung Valley Walk is 2.8km (1.5%).
Headline benefits
Environmental: protection and restoration of an iconic ecological corridor. Net environmental gain for the river. Passive surveillance and land management support. Safeguarding Melbourne’s drinking water.
Cultural: Caring for Country at scale. A living platform for First Nations knowledge sharing on Country, rather than in a museum or gallery. Economic outcomes for First Nations communities.
Social and health: Providing safe, accessible, inspiring walking infrastructure is a low-cost, high-return way to improve health across the community. 13:1 benefit:cost ratio.
Economic: Modelling demonstrates strong and sustained economic return and jobs growth.
