Key details
Location
Elgin Boulevard and Church Street, Wodonga
Policy objective
Urban renewal
Project partners
City of Wodonga
Regional Development Victoria
Junction Place is regional Australia’s largest urban renewal initiative, bringing new life to the former historic railway station and railyards in central Wodonga.
The project will double the size of Wodonga’s CBD, delivering quality community spaces, and a mix of retail, entertainment, commercial and residential developments.
The vision for Junction Place is to create a new heart in central Wodonga, while boosting economic growth through the delivery of a precinct that hosts entertainment, restaurants, cafes and public open spaces.
Junction Place is made up of five precincts:
Precincts 1,3 and 4 comprise of already-delivered community open spaces, including the Promenade, Junction Square, Richardson Park and Sidings Park, the refurbished rail infrastructure housing restaurants, cafes and a brewery. Further development is for these precincts is earmarked to include retail, commercial, entertainment, residential and more open space.
Located on Elgin Boulevard Precinct 2 is has been developed into a Woolworths full-line supermarket in collaboration with the City of Wodonga.
Precinct 5 is a 2.4-hectare site located on the corner of South and Smythe Street and is earmarked for future development.
Community Reference Group
Development Victoria is establishing a Community Reference Group for Junction Place. Find out more on the Community Engagement page.
10ha project space
$250m+ private investment
5 precincts
Latest news
View allIndigenous history
Albury Wodonga was previously known as Bungambrawatha, or homeland, by the Wiradjuri people, the name of the region was later changed to Albury in 1838. Wodonga, meaning bulrushes, retained its indigenous name.
The Murray River is central to life for those who call the Albury Wodonga region home. The Wiradjuri people were frequently joined by many other hunting groups who would travel hundreds of kilometres to gather together near the river.
Today, meeting at Albury Wodonga remains an important tradition.
Timeline
- North East Rail revitalisation project commenced
- New Wodonga train station opened
- Vision and master planning for Junction Place, planning scheme amendment, site remediation and refurbishment of heritage buildings
- Delivery of community open spaces: Junction Square and the Promenade
- Development Agreement signed for a $250 million mixed-used precinct
- Delivery of early works
- Planning permit received for $70 million cinema and entertainment complex
- Richardson Park officially opened
- Sidings Park (adjacent to the Good Shed) is completed, honouring the site’s rail history
- Revisions to the original master plan
- Council rejects revised master plan
- Development Victoria commences project review to consider next steps for Junction Place development
Who to contact about this project?
General information and media enquiries
Development Victoria
Customer servicePh: 131 852
junction.place@development.vic.gov.au
Media
03 8317 3700
media@development.vic.gov.au
General information
City of WodongaPh: 02 6022 9300 or after hours 02 6022 9300
104 Hovell Street, Wodonga, VIC 3690
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Approach
The opportunity to redevelop Junction Place came about following the relocation of passenger and freight lines out of Wodonga's city centre, in June 2011.
Following extensive community and stakeholder consultation, a vision for the precinct was developed to deliver a new heart for central Wodonga featuring retail, dining, residential, entertainment, public open space and commercial development.
To kick-start the project, Development Victoria, working with the City of Wodonga delivered a range of community spaces and infrastructure in the first stages of Junction Place, with the aim of partnering with the private sector to deliver the next phase of the project. These projects include:
- Restoration of the historic Goods Shed and Station Buildings,
- Roads and infrastructure,
- The Promenade, Junction Square, Richardson Park and Sidings Park.
In 2016, a master plan was developed, based on the original vision, to transform the vacant railway site into the new heart of central Wodonga, following extensive consultation and planning previously undertaken by the City of Wodonga and Vic Track.
The master plan included all the components of the original vision, including retail, commercial, residential, public open space and an entertainment complex.
A commercial and design review of the 2016 master plan was undertaken in 2021 in consultation with Development Victoria and the City of Wodonga. The review concluded that due to reflect significant changes to market conditions and other impacts, including Covid-19, changes needed to be made to the revised master plan.
A Planning Permit application was lodged with Wodonga Council to amend the original Junction Place Master Plan in December 2021 but was not supported. Development Victoria is currently assessing the next steps for Junction Place following this decision.
Latest news
View allInfrastructure projects
Key infrastructure projects completed to date include:
- 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
Community projects
Development Victoria is building the foundations for Junction Place through the delivery of key projects for community use, including:
- Refurbished Goods Shed and Station Buildings: featuring cafes and restaurants, including Miss Amelie, Bean Station Cafe and Beer Cafe
- The Promenade: a public space linking the old and new at Junction Place. The Promenade hosts outdoor events, markets, and food and wine festivals and was completed in 2016.
- Junction Square: featuring refurbished rail infrastructure, seating and shade. The project was delivered in collaboration with the City of Wodonga.
- Richardson Park: Named after Robert Richardson, a former Wodonga Shire Councillor, this park pays homage to the site’s railway history and is a popular community space.
- Sidings Park: This public space opened in 2019 and also acknowledges the site’s rail history, offering food and beverage in purpose-built rail carriages.
Community Reference Group
Development Victoria is establishing a Community Reference Group (CRG) for Junction Place. All CRG members and the Independent Chair must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Be a resident or property owner in Greater Wodonga
- Own a business in Wodonga
- Work within a 2km radius of Junction Place
- Participate or volunteer with a community group that has a specific interest in Junction Place
- Are a member of a business forum or association that has a specific interest in Junction Place
- Are a member of an industry body that has a specific interest in Junction Place.
The role of the CRG is to provide a conduit between Junction Place project partners and the community to ensure:
- there is transparency with the community on how the project is being progressed.
- project communication with the community is maintained as the project moves through developer procurement, planning and delivery stages.
- there is a forum for all project partners to meet and discuss issues with the community.
- Provide the community with an opportunity to be involved during developer procurement RFP design, design, and delivery of the Junction Place Precinct.
- Enable opportunities for two-way conversations between the community, Wodonga Council, Development Victoria and the successful developer(s).
- Create better visibility of the project within the local community.
- Ensure the community has up-to-date and accurate information about the progress of the project, precinct design and delivery time frames.
- Identify risks and concerns regarding the project and seek to provide clarity and resolve them where possible.
- Provide a forum for shared learning and continuous improvement.
An independent chair is to be appointed to be the convenor, facilitator, mediator and advisor for the CRG.
The Independent Chair will need to form specific duties to ensure the CRGs governance is adhered to and meetings are conducted in line with the groups Terms of Reference. In order to be considered for the role of the Independent Chair you will need to demonstrate that you have the required attributes that are outlined in the Independent Chair Position Description.
If you would like to express an interest in being the Independent Chair please read the position description and Junction Place CRG Draft Terms of Reference and complete the application form below.
Community engagement
Development Victoria’s and Council’s vision for Junction Place was developed with extensive involvement from the community. This collaborative approach resulted in a vision for the precinct which included open spaces and parks, retail, commercial, dining, entertainment and residential.
In 2021, a series of community sessions were held to provide information about the proposed refreshed master plan for the site.
The community sessions were designed to share the refreshed master plan, answer questions and respond to feedback.
Almost 300 participants took part in three online sessions, including an initial information session and two community feedback sessions. In addition, almost 130 people participated in an online survey.
Most participants were supportive of open spaces, a proposed Market Hall, the inclusion of a cinema and entertainment precinct and active lane-way proposals. There was also support for more open spaces, and a hotel which was viewed as benefiting the community and economy.
More than half of the survey participants objected to a proposed liquor outlet for the retail component of Junction Place, and this was also reflected at the online community sessions.
Development Victoria remains committed to working with the community to deliver an outstanding development for Wodonga, which will create jobs, stimulate economic growth in the region and deliver a new heart for Wodonga.
To view the community information webinar presentation, click here: Community information session presentation, or watch the recording below.
To read the Engagement Summary report, click here: Junction Place Engagement Summary Report 2021.
Junction Place Wodonga - public webinar recording - September 2021
Updated on 02 November 2022