MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY WELCOME GROUND
03 Apr 2024
PTA Landscape’s objectives for the project at Melbourne University were centred around creating a sustainable, aesthetic and functional outdoor space that aligns with the university's visions including honouring the history of the area, promoting a connection to nature, and incorporating indigenous values and stories.
As a signature project of the University’s Elevate RAP3, the Student Precinct project originally included scope for a new home for Murrup Barak in Building 170 and a significant new adjacent landscaped area featuring native plants of the Kulin nation, the Welcome Ground. It is a central component of the Precinct’s Indigenous design narrative, bringing the pre-Colonial Bouverie Creek which once flowed through the site to the surface. 
Located at a key entryway into the university, the project centres around an established and monumental Peppercorn Tree. With renovation works required close to the tree, PTA Landscapes established a tree protection zone and utilised non-destructive digging and boring to install new services for outdoor lighting. 
Sheltered seating areas of granitic gravel were constructed under the shade of the Peppercorn Tree bordered with natural mudstone boulders and feature sawn pieces. The surrounding cobblestone paving is made up of a combination of sawn and sandblasted Australian bluestone, harcourt granite and flamed castlemaine slate. The ‘creeklet’ feature band of mudstone unit pavers runs the entire length of the project with mudstone crazy paving either side. 
Providing an upgrade to a key University gateway, the design connects the Precinct’s ‘water story’ from the ERC Library down to Grattan Street, through extension of the mudstone and unique paving treatment used across the Precinct site. This replaced the existing paved areas (currently used for motorcycle parking and bin storage) with native plantings and integrated seating to create an Indigenous landscape. 
For more information, visit PTA Landscapes
