Monash Open Space Strategy

As an established urban area, Monash has an extensive network of public open space that includes playing fields, local parks and trails. Due to historical development differences, and in some instances topography, the distribution, type and quantity of public open space across Monash varies. This can present challenges in meeting the diverse needs of existing residents and providing equitable access to open space, particularly as demographics, recreational choices and expectations change. Meeting these changing needs will require a shift in the way that existing open space is used, accessed and developed to ensure the accessibility of open space to all members of the community, regardless of where they live, their age, gender, income, ethnicity, education or abilities. In addition to the changing needs and expectations of current residents, additional demands will be placed on the public open space network as the population of Monash continues to grow. In some locations, such as Clayton, these growth pressures will be compounded by the population growth occurring at a much higher density than has previously occurred in Monash. It is within this context of change that the Monash Open Space Strategy (the Strategy) has been developed to respond to those challenges. The Strategy will guide the future planning, provision, design and management of open space in Monash for the next decade. It is a high level strategic document that seeks to identify the open space needs of existing and future residents of Monash, gaps in the provision of open space and opportunities to address those gaps. This will be achieved through the ‘Vision’ and ‘Principles’ of the strategy.