North East Link project

The North East Link (NEL) is a freeway-standard road and tunnel that is being built by the Victorian Government. It will link the Metropolitan Ring Road (M80) in Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen Road. It also involves the widening of the Eastern Freeway between Hoddle Street and Tram Road. The North East Link Program (NELP) is managing the delivery of this large-scale road infrastructure project.

We continue to advocate on behalf of the Boroondara community for the best outcomes as NEL planning and development progresses.

The NELP has legislative power to use council owned ‌land for the North East Link and Eastern Freeway widening works.

The NELP does not need Council’s permission to occupy the land and we cannot stop the NELP using our land.

Status update

Eastern Freeway works

The Eastern Freeway corridor from Burke Road (Boroondara) to Tram Road (City of Whitehorse) is a busy worksite, with the Eastern Freeway Burke to Tram Alliance (EBTA) works well underway.

Temporary construction compounds have been built at Leonis Avenue Reserve, Koonung Creek Reserve and Freeway Golf Course* providing office space, worker facilities and parking for over 1000 people.

Works are taking place right across the corridor impacting the following parks and facilities:

Yarra Flats Reserve
Musca Street Reserve
Koonung Creek Reserve
Freeway Golf Course*.

*Note the compound and works adjacent to the Freeway Golf Course do not affect play on the course.

You can find notifications about NEL and Eastern Freeway widening works on Victoria's Big Build website. Click on your suburb to view information about works happening nearby including road closures.

Residents with concerns about the project should phone the Big Build Customer Contact Centre on 1800 105 105.

Our latest advocacy efforts

Council officers regularly meet with the NELP and their contractors to advocate on behalf of the community and Council.

On 29 April 2025, Council ran a Community Discussion session to hear from our residents about their concerns and to inform our advocacy efforts. Key issues raised included noise from construction works, presence of worker parking on local streets, concerns about dust pollution and loss of open space during construction and after the works are completed.

Eastern Freeway Hoddle Street to Burke Road Alliance (EHBA)

In October 2024, the Victorian Government announced the Momentum consortium as the preferred bidder for the western section of the NEL Eastern Freeway works. The consortium includes John Holland, Seymour Whyte, and Jacobs and Mott Macdonald and was awarded the contract for the works in early August 2025.

EHBA has established a temporary worksite in Kew behind Council’s depot to provide basic facilities for EHBA workers conducting early site investigations.

The Urban Design and Landscape Plan for the Eastern Freeway upgrades from Hoddle Street to Burke Road will be on exhibition for community feedback in late 2025.

NELP funded tree planting

Council has received funding from NELP for the procurement, planting and maintenance of trees to help offset the loss of trees across the NEL corridor. To date, trees have been planted at Columba Street Reserve, Hyde Park and Freeway Golf Course. In 2025, trees will be planted along the King Street Chain, Balwyn; John August Reserve Canterbury; Grovedale Park, Surrey Hills and Cooper Reserve, Camberwell.

Tree Planting locations are guided by Council’s Tree Canopy Replacement Plan and input from our Urban Tree Planning Team.

Doncaster Park and Ride now closed

Doncaster Park and Ride (DPR) closed on 12 January 2025 in preparation for construction of a new Park and Ride beginning late 2025. Find out more about the final design for the Doncaster Park and Ride on Victoria’s Big Build website.

Koonung Creek Reserve master plan design

We’ve prepared a master plan that provides guidance and a vision for the reinstatement of Koonung Creek Reserve. The master plan design was endorsed and adopted by Council on 26 February 2024. The endorsed master plan was shared with NELP and EBTA.

View the endorsed and adopted Koonung Creek Reserve Master Plan on Your Say Boroondara for our design, consultation summary and next steps.

Urban Design and Landscape Plans

NELP and its contractors must prepare Urban Design and Landscape Plans (UDLP) where any above ground structures are to be built. The draft UDLPs are released for community consultation. Feedback from the community is considered before the document is finalised and sent for approval by the Minister for Planning. Council has prepared the following submissions in response to Project UDLPs.

Find out more about the UDLP on the Big Build website.