Lake Burley Griffin is a much-loved and defining feature of Canberra.
Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin’s original plan intended to connect the city centre and the water. The City Renewal Authority has been working closely with the community and stakeholders to realise this concept and transform Acton Waterfront into a place for all Canberrans to enjoy.
The National Capital Plan envisages Acton Waterfront as:
‘a vibrant cultural and entertainment precinct on a waterfront promenade. The area will create a new city neighbourhood, extending the city to the lake with a cosmopolitan mixture of shops, businesses, cafes, recreations, tourist activities and accommodation.’
The City Renewal Authority has adopted a place-based approach in undertaking urban renewal and is committed to working closely with the community and key stakeholders to realise its strategic vision. A copy of the Acton Waterfront Place Plan is available here.
The Acton Waterfront project is first and foremost about providing a place for people. This includes new open spaces, improved connections with the city centre, better access for water activities and a celebration of the site’s history and national significance.
The project includes:
The Acton Waterfront is being delivered in phases. All works in the Acton Waterfront precinct will be consistent with the requirements of the Australian Government’s National Capital Plan as well as the community’s vision for the precinct, captured in the Acton Waterfront Place Plan, and the existing character of the area.
| Timeframe | Initiative |
| 2018 |
The first phase of works was the creation of Henry Rolland Park and construction of the first 150 metres of boardwalk, opened to the public in 2018. Negotiations with the National Capital Authority regarding the lake-bed transfer commenced. Formal works approval was unable to proceed until negotiations were finalised. |
August 2020 | Following nearly two decades of planning and community and stakeholder consultation by different agencies, the Acton Waterfront Place Plan was released. The plan captures community and stakeholder needs and aspirations for the waterfront’s public spaces and buildings. The place plan proposes themes and principles for future development as well as identifying four different “destinations” as part of an integrated public space network. These were The Heart, Henry Rolland Park, Cultural Landscape and Streets and Lanes. The Acton Waterfront Place Plan is influencing designs for future stages of work, starting with the lakeside park, Ngamawari. Negotiations with the National Capital Authority regarding the lake-bed transfer concluded and works approval was granted. |
September 2020 – | Construction is complete on the second phase of works, which includes land reclamation and extension of the final section of boardwalk. The new boardwalk realigns the lake edge, so it is consistent with the National Capital Plan and Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin’s intended configuration for West Basin. This includes building a further 500 metres of boardwalk. It has created a new boardwalk along Acton Waterfront that is more than 650 metres long. Alongside the boardwalk, the beach construction was completed in Spring 2022. The beach was designed for a variety of uses, including triathlons, some small vessel launching and water sport. This isn’t the first time there’s been a beach at Acton, and this work has reinstated the beach that previously existed in the area. |
January 2022 - mid 2023 | Design of a Ngamawari, a new waterfront park to be constructed on 30,000 square metres of reclaimed land. Ngamawari will be adjacent to the boardwalk, on land reclaimed from Lake Burley Griffin. It will include event lawns, a new play space for all abilities and ages, barbecue areas and terraces overlooking the lake. Located close to Canberra’s City Centre with unrestricted lake access, Ngamawari will build on the landscape character surrounding Lake Burley Griffin and provide an accessible and attractive public space for all Canberrans. |
August 2022- 2025+ | Behind Ngamawari is an area for future, longer term development which may include shops, cafés, restaurants, community spaces and residential development. |
The value of the completed Acton Waterfront contract with Chincivil is $50,724,212.53 (inc. GST). The project contractor has performed to a high level and the contract represents fair value for the scope of works undertaken, which included:
The contract for works was established with the intent for staged variations as funding has gradually been released. This is in accordance with the original request for tender and was entered into following an open market tender process.
The City Renewal Authority has operated within the approved funding parameters. Appropriate processes for assessing value for money against the scope of works were established and communicated to the Government Procurement Board, including obtaining an independent quantity surveyor report. This report ensured appropriate project costing that was reflective of market rates.
The original contract and subsequent variations are listed on the ACT Government Contracts Register.
Canberra’s Acton Waterfront is a place with an ancient history of indigenous people using the Molonglo River and wetlands as a source of food to sustain life. Later, it became home to settlers, farming homesteads and grazing and more recently, to a place of aquatic recreation. Today, the Acton Waterfront next to West Basin is an underutilised open space with a large amount of hard surface carparks. Well-planned and with a commitment to creating a liveable and sustainable place, it has the potential to reshape the heart of the national capital consistent with the Griffins’ original vision for our city.
In 2013, community feedback was sought during two consultation periods. Feedback received specifically in relation to the Acton Waterfront, highlighted the importance that the community placed on public access to the lake and adjoining public spaces. While embracing the vision for the proposal, existing lake users indicated they wanted to continue to use walking and cycling tracks and be able to use the lake for recreational water sports without impediment. As a result of this feedback, continuous public access to the lake edge will be further enhanced to improve user experiences.
In June 2015, the community was invited to provide feedback on the proposed waterfront design and have their say on the types of commercial activities, community facilities and events they would like to see at Acton Waterfront in the future.
Community feedback also showed that the creation of public areas, before any private building development occurred, was preferred for this area. The ACT Government has listened to this feedback and is progressing the development and management of public areas as a high priority.
In August 2020, the City Renewal Authority released the Acton Waterfront Place Plan. Developed by Hames Sharley, a national planning and design consultancy firm in consultation with community and key stakeholders, the place plan guides how Acton Waterfront should look and feel and how the area will be experienced by people.
We will continue to consult with you to make sure the Acton Waterfront is a place for everyone to use and enjoy. There will be consultation opportunities at various stages as we progress our multi-year Acton Waterfront project. Follow our Acton Waterfront YourSay page to get notifications when we are seeking feedback.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.