Placemaking

We facilitate placemaking in different ways including large infrastructure projects and small temporary projects to help reimagine public spaces such as footpaths, streets, laneways, parks and plazas.

Placemaking is informed by the history, culture and diversity of a place, while also considering the needs of future communities, economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. Through placemaking, we aim to create more welcoming, walkable, safe and engaging public spaces for everyone.

Glen Eira Placemaking Strategy 2023–2027

The Placemaking Strategy was adopted in 2023 and guides our approach to the creation and development of projects in Glen Eira's public spaces. The Strategy provides us with an opportunity to work with the community to collectively reimagine public spaces.

Read the Glen Eira Placemaking Strategy 2023–2027 [PDF 17Mb] 

Placemaking Projects

Since adopting the strategy, we have implemented and will continue to deliver, public space projects that improve our community’s connection to place.

Some small projects that we’ve delivered so far…

Community Place Project 2024-2025

This project brought the community's ideas for improving Glen Eira’s public spaces to life. Through a simple application process, community members were invited to submit their small placemaking ideas with big impacts. In its 2024–2025 trial, five creative initiatives were successfully delivered — from vibrant public art to welcoming gathering spaces — strengthening local identity, fostering community connections, and making our streets more engaging and inclusive. After the succession of the trail, we sought ideas from the community again to deliver more projects in 2025-2026.

Projects delivered from the Community Place Project Trial

A bright new mural in Glen Huntly — a collaborative project with the Artist President of the Glen Huntly Trader’s Association, building owner and tenant, bringing their vision for the artwork to life.

Decorative pole art designed and painted by local artist Pamela Irving, Pamela invited the community to assist in painting.

A trio of colourful murals in Elsternwick’s Lois Lane. An idea from a local Elsternwick resident. Council engaged a local artist and worked with the building owners and traders to deliver the series of laneway murals.

A street library in Bentleigh in front of Tucker Road Coffee Merchants and in Alma Village, Caulfield North in front of Espresso Etc. 

New Signage for the Murrumbeena Boyd Walking Tour

New refreshed decals and permanent signage were installed along the Boyd Family walking tour to celebrate Glen Eira's people and history with a focus on engaging storytelling. The signage includes QR codes linking to the audio Walking Tour. The project encourages the community to explore, learn and take pride in Glen Eira’s unique cultural history.

Leaf Lane Refresh in Carnegie

We committed to refreshing the footpath artwork on Leaf Lane, which connects the Council car park to the main pedestrian crossing and Carnegie Library in Koornang Road Carnegie. This was completed in two stages, the first stage included a deep clean pressure wash and secondly engaging with Killing Time Studio to install the new bright and leafy artwork.

Ormond Mural

We engaged local artist Alex Sugar to deliver a captivating and bold mural in Ormond. Place branding with the text Ormond as a visual focal point with native birds and plants to accompany the text adds vibrance to the surrounding area.

Chook Run Lighting Installation

With the help of State Government funding, we were able to install distinct and inviting lighting to complement the existing artwork located in Chook Run laneway in Carnegie. The light injects a sense of fun and community spirit into the laneway and captures the attention of all ages creating a safe and inviting walkway from the car park to the main strip of shops.

Brightening Bentleigh East

To address the dull laneway and safety concerns from the community in Bentleigh East, we worked with artist Cal Gillepsie from Killing Time Studio to deliver a colourful, contemporary and abstract mural with a “Melways” look and feel. We accompanied the mural with beautiful fairy lights that are solar powered to brighten up the laneway in the later hours of the day and night.

Adopt-a-planter box trial

Following an expression of interest process, one local activity centre and one neighbourhood centre were selected to take part in our first adopt-a-planter box trial. Groups of local businesses volunteered to look after the plants, helping contribute to a greener streetscape.

Our Parks team helped source and install the plants and boxes which are in Neerim Road, Murrumbeena and at the local centre on the corner of Murrumbeena Road and Oakleigh Road. 

Murrumbeena Mural and Historical Decals

The local community saw potential in an empty building at Neerim Road and Murrumbeena Road and voiced concerns about its negative impact due to graffiti and posters. In response, together with the building owner, we cleaned and painted the building. A colourful 40-meter mural was also commissioned from Killing Time art studio, inspired by Margaret Tuckett’s 1905 book A Year in My Garden. Additionally, historical photos and an Acknowledgement of Country were installed on the shopfront windows to enhance the pedestrian experience and celebrate local history.

Climate Change — it’s in your hands mural in Glen Huntly

The artwork delivered by John Lawry artist and the Glen Eira Emergency Climate Action Network portrays two key elements: a child turning away from human-induced climate change, symbolising the call for the community to take proactive action, and the same child facing the future with a bird resting on their hand, representing the hope and positive outcomes possible if we act now. This was all made possible with the Glen Eira community grant.

Glen Huntly — Vacant to Vibrant

Following our Shopfront Improvement Workshop with the Glen Huntly Traders’ Association last year and continual engagement with the Centre representatives, a placemaking project was identified that aimed to reduce the impact of vacant shopfronts on the streetscape.

We are collaborating with local artist Kate Birrell on a street gallery of window decals that will add colour and vibrancy to empty shopfronts. This will involve five different window decal designs (1200mm width) being installed on the outside of shop windows. Council officers are seeking building owners’ permission prior to installation.

Carnegie Community Space Mural

We expanded on an existing visual theme bring a mural with colour, vibrancy and a sense of safety for the local community. The artwork spawls over colourful shapes that can be seen by onlookers, inviting a diverse range of people to enter Carnegie and enjoy what the activity centre has to offer.

Book a community space

We have three multi-purpose community spaces available to book at no cost for not-for-profit community groups. The spaces provide a perfect opportunity for community and trader groups to facilitate a wide range of placemaking activities.

• Bentleigh Community Space, Centre Road, Bentleigh (formerly Bentleigh Rotunda)
• Carnegie Community Space, Neerim Road, Carnegie
• Carnegie Library Forecourt, between Koornang Road and Shepparson Avenue, Carnegie

All spaces have power available and have a dedicated ‘stage’ type area suitable for performances.