After plans for a new 3500-square-metre park on the riverside were green-lit, the City of Melbourne has unveiled a new proposal that would see the Northbank precinct completely greenified.

Expected to cost up to $300 million, the proposed Greenline project aims to draw more people to the waterfront with a series of connected parklands linking the four-kilometre stretch between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge.

Likening it to the High Line in New York City, Lord Mayor Sally Capp said it would be one of the largest developments Melbourne has undergone since Southbank Promenade was completed in 1990 and Fed Square opened in 2002.

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The proposal includes park upgrades, new pedestrian bridges and boardwalks, and native plantings, as well as a greater acknowledgment of the river’s history.

“The Greenline would tell stories of Melbourne’s history and increase visibility and understanding of the area’s Aboriginal culture and heritage,” Capp said in a press release. “The Northbank could be used to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal culture and knowledge along the Yarra River – Birrarung.”

The plan was endorsed by City of Melbourne councillors in May 2021. It's now in the community engagement and stakeholder funding process.