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Melbourne’s inner west has scored a new playground – and it’s not one you’ll find tucked behind a café strip or squeezed into a leftover pocket of parkland. Beneath CityLink, just off Footscray Road in West Melbourne, a brand new jumps park has officially opened, transforming what was once dead space into a purpose-built hub for bike riders and skateboarders of all ages.
Delivered as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project, the park is a playful reminder that infrastructure developments don’t have to end at roads and ramps, and it's a pretty fun example of an industrial space being reclaimed and transformed into somewhere people actually want to hang out.
Open every day, the park gives kids (and, let’s be honest, plenty of adults) a safe, welcoming place to test their skills, try jumps for the first time or sit back and watch others ride. The thoughtfully designed layout combines jumps, skills areas and pump tracks, catering to everyone from beginners finding their balance to confident riders chasing airtime. Seating and landscaping make it easy for parents and friends to settle in and enjoy the spectator experience.
According to the Victorian Government, what really sets this park apart is how seamlessly it plugs into Melbourne’s broader cycling network. A new ramp and bridge connects the park directly to the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and the new Dixon Veloway along Footscray Road, making it easily accessible from the inner west, Docklands and the CBD. It also complements the recently completed Federation Trail extension, including the new walking and cycling bridge over the Williamstown Road exit of the West Gate Freeway, which opened in December.
Altogether, the West Gate Tunnel Project has delivered more than 14 kilometres of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths, alongside close to nine hectares of new parks and wetlands.
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