Key details
Location
Elgin Boulevard and Church Street, Wodonga
Policy objective
Urban renewal
Project partners
City of Wodonga
Regional Development Victoria
Central Place Pty Limited
Overview
Junction Place is regional Australia’s largest urban renewal initiative, and will bring new life to the former historic railway station and railyards in central Wodonga.
The project will double the size of Wodonga’s CBD and bring new life to the city centre, delivering quality public spaces, and a mix of retail, entertainment, commercial and residential developments.
The vision for Junction Place is to enhance the economic growth and development of Wodonga, through the delivery of a precinct that hosts entertainment, restaurants, cafes and public open spaces.
Wodonga supports approximately 180,000 people in the broader regional area, with the city’s liveability and location being a key drawcard for many national and multi-national businesses. The region is recognised as offering great lifestyle options for its residents.
10ha project space
$250m+ private investment
$70m cinema complex
70 luxury townhouses
Outcomes
A number of key infrastructure and open space projects have already been completed at Junction Place.
Key achievements:
- Refurbishment of heritage buildings
- New retail tenancies: Miss Amelie, Bean Station Cafe and Beer Cafe
- Public realm and pedestrian linkages such as Junction Square, Richardson Park, Sidings Park, and The Promenade
- Public amenities at the eastern end of the Station Building
- Precinct 2 sold to Wodonga City Council in early 2015 to facilitate the development of a full-line Woolworths supermarket
- Appointment of Central Place as developer for Precincts 1, 3 and 4
- Delivery of internal access road and car parks
- Hosting community events including food and wine festivals, that have attracted more than 15,000 people to Junction Place in the past three years
- Planning approval for a $70 million cinema and entertainment centre
- Delivery of Richardson Park in late 2018, and Sidings Park
- Planning approval for first stage of residential development
- Civic works commenced for residential development
Approach
The opportunity to redevelop Junction Place emerged following the relocation of passenger and freight lines out of Wodonga's city centre, in June 2011.
A master plan was developed to transform the vacant railway site into the new heart of central Wodonga. The master plan was informed by community consultation, and by planning previously undertaken by the City of Wodonga and VicTrack.
Key infrastructure projects
The delivery of key infrastructure at Junction Place is a prerequisite to enable the development of other strategic planning proposals.
These key infrastructure projects unlock the development potential of Junction Place providing the city with much needed room to grow, including:
- Realignment of Elgin Boulevard
- Upgrades to High Street
- Development of Aurora Way
- Extension of Watson Street, Smythe Street, and Church Street
- Southern extension of Church Street
The southern extension of Church Street creates a key north-south connection through Junction Place.
The new section of road connects South Street to Elgin Boulevard along the upgraded northern section of Church Street.
The southern section of Church Street prioritises pedestrians, and can be closed to traffic for public events.
Southern extension of Church Street
The southern extension of Church Street creates a key north-south connection through Junction Place.
The new section of road connects South Street to Elgin Boulevard along the upgraded northern section of Church Street.
The southern section of Church Street prioritises pedestrians, and can be closed to traffic for public events.
Location
Junction Place is adjacent to Wodonga’s CBD. It's bound by High Street to the east, South Street to the North, Elgin Boulevard to the south and Watson Street to the west.
Wodonga is located between Melbourne and Sydney on the Victorian border with New South Wales. Wodonga is an important regional hub, recognised as the capital of Victoria’s north-east region.
Who to contact about this project
General information and media enquiries
Development Victoria
Customer service
Ph: 131 852
contact@development.vic.gov.au
Media
03 8317 3700
media@development.vic.gov.au
General information
City of Wodonga
Ph: 02 6022 9300 or after hours 02 6022 9300
104 Hovell Street, Wodonga, VIC 3690
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Timeline
Vision and master planning, planning scheme amendment, site remediation and refurbishment of heritage buildings.
Delivery of key public open spaces – Junction Square, Promenade and execution of Development Agreement for a $250 million mixed use precinct.
- Delivery of early works (internal road and car parks)
- Planning permit received for $70 million cinema and entertainment complex
Commencement of main construction works for luxury residential townhouse development.
- Construction of future stages including Cinema and Entertainment Complex, Hotel, Commercial office tower and market food hall in accordance with Developer’s master plan
Overview
Junction Place is divided into a number of key precincts providing residential, hotel, retail, dining and leisure to ensure a thriving development, with each precinct having its own distinct character.
About the precincts
Development Victoria is building the foundations for the Junction Place project through projects which provide community space for residents, visitors and workers to enjoy.
Community project outcomes
The Promenade is a public space for central Wodonga, linking the old and the new at Junction Place.
Centrally located at Junction Place, the Promenade dissects the site between the historic Goods Shed and Station Building, linking these buildings to Church Street and Junction Square.
Like Junction Square, the Promenade is available to host outdoor events and has already been the location of markets and food and wine events.It has been designed with outdoor dining on both sides and will be the hub for the food and beverage precinct proposed within Junction Place.
Construction of the Promenade commenced in mid-2015, and opened in February 2016.
Junction Square was the first public space planned for Junction Place. It's a significant meeting space, and an integral part of the new heart of central Wodonga.
The $1.75 million Junction Square, largely funded by the Victorian Government, adjoins Elgin Boulevard, and provides a link from High Street to the broader Junction Place precinct.
Junction Square features refurbished rail infrastructure, seating and shade.
Construction of Junction Square began in late 2014, with Development Victoria engaging the City of Wodonga to design and deliver the square on its behalf.
Construction of Richardson Park commenced in mid-2018, and was opened in December 2018.
Richardson Park pays homage to the site’s former use, and includes shaded areas, a decorative water tank and stand, and an interactive sculpture consisting of a horse and climbing bars.
The park is named after Robert Richardson, a former Wodonga Shire councillor who strongly supported the building of new municipal stockyards in Wodonga, and had a long history of serving the community and operating a cattle business.
The park’s delivery was project managed by the City of Wodonga on behalf of Development Victoria.
The local developer (Central Place) was responsible for design and funding was provided from the National Stronger Regions Fund and Development Victoria.
Adjacent to the Heritage Goods Shed, Sidings Park is a public space which opened in March 2019.
The park honours the site's 140-year rail history, offering food and beverage in purpose-built rail carriages.
Sidings Park was delivered by the local developer, Central Place. Funding for the park was provided from the National Stronger Regions Fund and Development Victoria.
History
1852
- Township of Wodonga was surveyed, and was originally named Belvoir
1860s
- Belvoir was officially renamed Wodonga
1873
- Railway from Melbourne to Wodonga opened
- Wodonga Shire formed, inclusive of Bandiana and Benegilla to the south-east of Wodonga
- New South Wales and Victorian Government agreed to the Albury-Wodonga Development Scheme for a decentralized growth area
1994
- Following Wodonga Shire becoming Wodonga Rural City (1973), the area was united with parts of Chiltern and Yackandanda Shires and renamed Wodonga City
2008
- North East Rail revitalisation project commenced
2011
- New Wodonga train station opened
2011–2014
- Vision and master planning, planning scheme amendment, site remediation and refurbishment of heritage buildings
2015
- Urban Square community space completed, subsequently renamed Junction Square by Wodonga Council
2016
- Execution of Development Agreement between Development Victoria and Central Place for a $250 million mixed-use precinct