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Helena River Foreshore and Water Tank Park

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Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA)

The Helena River Foreshore is a significant landscape where nature and ecology intersect with culture and history of the former railway workshops; a point where the City meets the River.The Helena and Swan Rivers have been flowing the same course for some sixty million years (Seddon, 1972), shaping the landscape and the lives of both the Whadjuk Noongar and European’s who lived on its banks. The intersection of these two rivers created a unique landscape in Midland where ancient (river) and modern (rail) paths intersect forming an important site of meeting and exchange.

This project proposes to create new amenity and interpretive space set amongst the retained trees along the Helena River Foreshore adjacent to the Midland Railway Yards. Following consultation with the Whadjuk Working Group, a series of narratives were developed around the significance of the site in relation to bush medicine, healing, birthing and food which will be creatively interpreted along the length of the new path network that links a series of new recreational and reflective space along the foreshore.

As part of the site, the Water Tank Park will be a new public open space adjacent to the existing workshops providing amenity and play spaces. The park is designed around the existing industrial infrastructure including the elevated water tank (1904) and main conduit (1904) running below the park. The park has been designed to celebrate the intersection of the industrial architecture and trades of the workshop and the hydrological, geological and botanical qualities of the Helena River.