The already transformed Acton Waterfront will be a construction site next year when the permanent park takes shape. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Construction of the great public park at the Acton Waterfront is expected to commence early in 2026, following the better-than-expected settling of the 63,000 cubic metres of fill used to reclaim land from Lake Burley Griffin and build the now-completed temporary park.
An ACT Government tender has been released for a contractor to design and construct the 30,000 square metre Ngamawari, which will include an adventure playground, artworks, extensive native gardens, toilets, two pavilions and event spaces.
Ngamawari will provide an easily accessible tourism and recreation destination, offering space for events such as markets, exhibitions, community gatherings and activities.
The name means ‘cave place’ in Ngunnawal and recognises the cultural significance of the limestone caves that were flooded during the creation of Lake Burley Griffin.
Ngamawari will also feature input from Ngunnawal people to share First Nations culture and history with visitors to the park, including artworks throughout the site.
The temporary park is the first phase of the overall project. It includes accessible paths with new lighting, a drinking water fountain with a pet bowl for dogs, grassed areas seeded with native plants and meadow flowers, shade structures, and parking at the northern edge of the site.
The successful contractor will work with the City Renewal Authority and Aspect Studios, which has developed a sketch plan for Ngamawari.
City Renewal Authority CEO Craig Gillman stated that a contractor will likely be appointed at the end of this year, with construction set to begin early in 2026.
Mr Gillman said the engineering reports on how the fill was settling confirmed that this timeline was feasible.
“The first stage of work, which is bringing in all the soil to lift the park to the right levels, has been completed,” he said.
“It also puts the stormwater infrastructure in to service both the park and the forthcoming Acton Waterfront neighbourhood, so that’s really important civil works that have been completed.
“That soil now needs to become engineeringly stable and settled, so we’re monitoring how much that’s moving, and that’s before you can start permanent structures on the park, such as pavilions.”
An artist’s impression of what’s planned for Ngamawari. Image: ACT Government.
The ground was now three metres higher than the previous terrain, providing a different vista across the lake.
It was mainly a place for walkers, cyclists and dogs at present, but the temporary park would be perfect for a picnic when the weather warmed up.
Mr Gillman said the work was a complex engineering process that posed an enormous number of problems for the contractor to solve, particularly laying the big stormwater pipes, which were 2.4 metres in diameter.
But the work on the temporary park and the boardwalk had all been on track to date.
“This gives us a little bit of a buffer to have the park open well and truly when the light rail is complete and functioning in 2028,” Mr Gillman said.
Also scheduled for 2028 is the construction of the proposed Acton Waterfront neighbourhood, a mix of multi-storey residential and commercial buildings located behind the park, where the carparks are situated.
Mr Gillman said work on the land release and what form the neighbourhood would take was underway.
“We’ve got to work out how we’re going to release the site, what the master planning for the site is, but we want to be able to commence with the [development] partner down there from 2028,” he said.
The Acton Waterfront spans more than 60,000 sqm, including the city neighbourhood.
The Ngamawari tender closes on 3 July.
