The prospect of three months of pile-driving construction works in Albert Park Reserve is driving some locals and park users to despair – and creating anger at the lack of communication from Development Victoria (DV). TWiSK can reveal that works will last until late July.
Question: When is a grandstand not a grandstand?
Answer: When it’s a sound barrier (we hope).
From zoom zoom to thump thump, up to 15 hours a day, six days a week. That’s what residents adjacent to the pit building works at Albert Park face until late July or beyond.
And to muddy the waters, the promised deadline of 24 April for removal of Grand Prix infrastructure has been delayed without explanation. When local advocates asked, they were told it was to act as a sound wall during construction.
And taxpayers like you are paying for it
DV is managing the $400 million demolition and expansion of the Grand Prix pit building complex to accommodate more than twice as many “VIPs”, and further enhance the profits of the US Formula One organisation, at the expense of Victorian taxpayers.
And you can throw away your alarm clock.
The DV website has confirmed that pile driving will run six days a week until the end of July, from as early as 7 am to as late as 10pm on weeknights. The piles are massive — up to 10 metres long. The nearest houses are just 150 metres away, across open parkland. (Source)
To make matters worse, DV’s major noise-mitigation strategy seems to be leaving hundreds of metres of temporary grandstand in place along Aughtie Drive for months.
A Victorian Governmentspokesperson confirmed that The Fangio Grandstand will remain in place on Aughtie Drive until mid-July 2026. They said independent acoustic advice shows the Grandstand reduces construction noise for residents along Canterbury Road.
And they doubled down on the benefits.
“The redevelopment of the Melbourne Indoor Sports Centre has reached an important milestone with demolition complete and new construction underway.”
“We are working to keep noise and disruption to a minimum for local residents and the wider community as work continues.”
And of course, they reminded us that the existing facility was constructed in 1995, with no significant upgrades since.
“This will ensure Albert Park is fit for a world-class spectacle during the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. It will also deliver brand new community sport facilities with an increased number of courts and ceiling heights to better cater for all sports,” they said.
Meanwhile advocates are unconvinced
“Not only is the grandstand unlikely to genuinely reduce noise pollution, but it’s definitely creating ugly, bright red visual pollution that dominates the park, even from the other side of the lake, a kilometre away,” said Park advocate and Lake Alive convenor Kelly Brennan.
Albert Park Sports Clubs Association president Hugo Armstrong agreed. “The arrogance of the State Government to just assume it’s OK with the community to leave it without asking or telling a soul is breathtaking” he said.
Westaway says obligations dont end at the chequered flag
We contacted both local MPs, Nina Taylor and Rachel Westaway for comment.
Only Westaway responded before deadline:
“The grandstand was supposed to be gone by 24 April. It isn’t, and residents weren’t consulted. They are asking fair questions and they deserve answers.
“Retaining the Grand Prix carries obligations on the Government. Those obligations cannot end at the chequered flag. If this community absorbs months of pile driving and permanent race infrastructure, the Government has a duty to invest in Albert Park the other fifty weeks of the year.
‘A permanent pedestrian bridge across Queens Road for the 8,000 residents alongside the park would be an overdue start. I’ll be pursuing these questions with the responsible Ministers and in the Parliament.”
TWiSK suspects that the Park will be an issue in both Albert Park and Prahran electorates. Bravo to that we say.
