Status 

We’re making much-needed upgrades to Kew Library in 2026 to modernise the space and improve the experience for all library users.

Construction is starting in April 2026.

The library is closed until early 2027 while the upgrade takes place. You can visit our temporary library at Kew Court House.

About the project

We’re making much-needed upgrades to Kew Library starting in early 2026. 

The library will temporarily close in early 2026. It will reopen in early 2027 once the upgrades are complete. 

To modernise the space and improve the experience for library visitors, we will be:

• replacing the roof and sewer
• upgrading to electric heating and cooling
• upgrading Radio Frequency Identification equipment, to enable bulk book returns
• upgrading the electrical switchboard
• upgrading lighting
• replacing the library shelving and carpet
• improving access to power points and Wi-Fi.

Timeline

Construction information

Kew Library will close during construction and will reopen in early 2027.

Public toilets

The public toilet inside the library will close during this time. The closest public toilets are:

• Kew Junction Cotham Road public toilet – 9 Cotham Road, Kew
• Walpole Street baby change and public toilet – 2A Walpole Street, Kew.

You can view these locations on our public toilet map.

Access to Alexandra Gardens

Alexandra Gardens will remain open during construction. The works will not affect the gardens, and fencing will be installed to protect nearby trees.

Due to temporary construction fencing, pedestrian access from St Anthony’s Place will change. The gate to Alexandra Gardens will stay open, but pedestrians will need to walk around the library building to reach the garden

Access to Civic Drive

There will be no access to Civic Drive from Cotham Road. Access to Civic Drive from Charles Street will stay open.

Pedestrians can continue using Civic Drive by following the footpath on the opposite side of the road from Kew Library.

Construction hours

Construction hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. Occasionally there may be work on Saturdays between 9 am and 5 pm. We will keep weekend work to a minimum.

We expect minimal disruption to neighbouring properties throughout construction.

Temporary library at Kew Court House

To make sure you can keep using your local library, we’re opening a temporary site at Kew Court House from Wednesday 25 February.

The temporary library lets you continue to use library services during the upgrade. You can:

• browse a limited collection
• borrow items
• return items during, and after hours
• collect reservations
• take part in community programs.

We’re opening the temporary library before Kew Library closes, so services continue without interruption.

Visit the temporary library

Location: Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew.

Opening hours:

• Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

You can collect reservations starting from Monday 2 March at Kew Court House.

Kew Court House is a 7-minute walk from Kew Library.

Getting to Kew Court House

Parking is available:

• on High Street
• on Cotham Road
• in the Leo’s Supermarket car park
• next to the playground at Fenton Reserve.

The Route 48 tram stops outside Kew Court House on High Street. The Route 109 tram stops around the corner on Cotham Road.

Refreshing our book collection

When we reopen in 2027, you’ll find an up-to-date collection that reflects what our community enjoys most, with spaces created for programming, study and remote working.

Kew Library Master Plan

We're developing a long-term master plan to help guide the future of Kew Library and deliver on what’s important to our community.

The master plan will guide the creation of a modern library that connects with the surrounding precinct, parkland and streetscape, making it a destination point for the community.

We’re working with an architect to develop a draft master plan and will share this with the community for feedback in mid-2026.

The Victorian Government’s Living Libraries Infrastructure Program has awarded a $550,000 grant for this upgrade.

More information

• To receive updates about this project and future consultation about the master plan, visit our Kew Library upgrade page and select the ‘+ Follow’ button.
• Contact our Libraries team on 9278 4444 or [email protected].
• You can visit our other libraries at Ashburton, Balwyn, Camberwell, Greythorn or Hawthorn and can continue to access a huge range of free online resources. Find more details at our Libraries page.

Alan Robert Sumner
(1911 – 1994)
The Four Seasons
c.1985-87
Stained glass, lead
Approximately 3m diameter

This beautiful stained glass window commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Municipality of Kew. It was acquired by the former City of Kew in 1985 with the assistance of Jill and Denis O'Brien. Jill O’Brien was a Councillor for the City of Kew from 1980-87 and Mayor in 1983-4.

Set into a large round opening on the east wall of Kew Library, the circular composition is divided by lead into 9 components. A central stylised sun, moon, and stars radiate out into other sections. All 4 seasons are represented.

Alan Sumner was an influential Australian artist known for his work in painting, printmaking, and stained glass design. He studied in Melbourne, Paris, and London, and pioneered screen printing as a fine art in Australia. As head of the National Gallery Art School (1953–1962) he mentored many notable artists. Sumner also completed around 100 stained glass commissions and was appointed MBE in 1962 for his contribution to the arts.

Artwork location

This work is located inside Kew Library, corner of Cotham Road and Civic Drive, Kew.

Peter Schipperheyn
(b. 1955 - )
Grip of Time
1978
Wood, fibreglass, polyester coating
7m high

This curious work of monumental proportions is affixed to the exterior wall of Kew Library. The work is comprised of a fibreglass hand, fibreglass handle and a wooden telegraph pole. Once known as Senility, Grip of Time was created by Peter Schipperheyn in the early stage of artist's career. Schipperheyn has since established an international reputation in figurative sculpture, specialising in marble.

Peter Schipperheyn created Senility whilst still a student at the Caulfield Institute of Technology. In 1978 the sculpture won the inaugural Abercrombie Sculpture Prize, a competition that was open to final year students. In 1979 Senility was installed against the exterior wall of Abercrombie Galleries in Johnston Street, Collingwood. 

Schipperheyn recalls the experience on Instagram: ‘I won the inaugural Abercrombie Sculpture Prize, Competition open to final year art students. I looked at the site, the big blank brick wall and thought to myself I’ll use the wall, put a work up high, so it’ll be hard to vandalise! And you’ll see it coming up Johnston street. Laurel Abercrombie loved the work. Put the gallery on the map so to speak.’

When Abercrombie Galleries closed a new site for Senility was sought, and Mrs Laurel Abercrombie, a long-term resident of Kew, presented the sculpture as a gift to the former City of Kew. At the time of its installation on the Kew Library, the sculpture was renamed Grip of Time. In 1997 the work was restored by the artist and a new pole for the work was donated by Citipower.

Artwork location

This work is located at Kew Library (corner of Cotham Road and Civic Drive, Kew), on the exterior wall facing Cotham Road.

Add some soul to date night, book with friends or meet new ones at our small but mighty performance venue where everyone's welcome. 

Arrive early for a drink inside the historic Kew Court House. Bar open from 7 pm.

Support an impressive lineup of talented musicians and treat your ears to something new!

Development Victoria is responsible for the redevelopment of the land at the former VicRoads site in Kew.

Development Victoria’s community engagement

Development Victoria consulted on the future of the former VicRoads site from 21 March to 11 April 2025. Council strongly encouraged community participation in the pop-up events and the survey, through the Engage Victoria page. 

For more information, please visit Development Victoria’s website.

Council’s submission to the consultation

Shared path connection for the wider community

We view this redevelopment as a great one-off opportunity to make a shared path connection through the site, which forms a key part of our Greenways Plan. A new green link will fill a critical gap in making a high amenity and safe continuous active transport connection from Kew Junction to the Glenferrie Activity Centre and the future Box Hill to Hawthorn Trail.

This shared path connection won’t only benefit any future occupants of the site, but the broader community as well. Expanding and connecting our network of walking and cycling paths in Boroondara is key to making it easier and safer for our community to move around, stay active, drive less and enjoy our local environment.

Additional affordable housing, including social and public housing

While we note the Development Victoria requirement for 10% minimum affordable housing for medium income households, we think this falls significantly short of what could and should be delivered at the site in terms of both quantity and diversity.

We were also disappointed to see that social and public housing wasn’t in the original proposal and we strongly encourage Development Victoria to revisit this.

Deliver a mixed-use development

While developing more housing is something we strongly support, there’s a great, and rare, opportunity to transform the site into more than just housing.

The relocation of the VicRoads offices resulted in a significant loss of high value jobs from Kew. We see this redevelopment as a strategic site in the Kew Activity Centre that should accommodate new businesses, enhance economic activity and deliver substantial new high-quality jobs, services and amenities to the community.

Sustainable development

We’re very supportive of Development Victoria’s commitment to best-practice sustainable design and carbon neutrality by 2030.

Using independent rating tools, making provisions for electrification of buildings and vehicles, circular economy waste management solutions and incorporating energy efficient dwellings are all ways we want to see large redevelopments like this significantly reduce their environmental impact in Boroondara.

Create a Community Reference Group and have the State Government work with us every step of the way

We’d like to be involved in the ongoing consultation process of the site, and to be given the opportunity to review successful proposals before any planning permits being lodged and processed.

Rezoning

The site was rezoned by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), under delegation from the Minister for Planning on 21 October 2024 (Amendment C411boro).

The amendment:

• applies an Environmental Audit Overlay
• rezones the main northern portion of the site from Transport 1 Zone to Commercial 1 Zone
• rezones the southern ‘tail’ to the General Residential Zone – Schedule 4.

The existing Design and Development Overlay which sets discretionary height limits and design objectives for the site will be retained.

In our submission to the amendment, we requested that the ‘tail’ be rezoned to the Public Park and Recreation Zone to facilitate the creation of a new bicycle/pedestrian link and new public open space; however, DTP did not support this.

More information

You can find out more in the documents available for download.

This local playground has received some new features plus an upgrade to some of its much-loved equipment.

Playground features

• a 4.8m play tower with a view towards the city
• a variety of swings including a toddler, child and basket swing
• a climbing cube
• teacup spinner (flying saucer)
• 2 junior swings and 2 senior swings
• track glide
• park seat overlooking the playground
• new picnic furniture
• drink fountain with dog bowl.

More information

• Kellett Reserve playground is at 22 Malin Street, Kew. It's classified as a local playground. Find out more about playground categories.
• The playground’s design was shaped by community feedback over 2 stages of consultation. Find out more on our Kellett Reserve playground consultation page.
• Learn about when and why we upgrade playgrounds.