
A rail line to Doncaster
The Victorian Government's proposed underground rail link will connect suburbs from Cheltenham to Werribee.
The Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) includes a Doncaster Station. However construction may be over ten years away.
The Victorian Government's proposed underground rail link will connect suburbs from Cheltenham to Werribee.
The Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) includes a Doncaster Station. However construction may be over ten years away.
We are advocating for the Doncaster Station footprint to be set aside as part of Stage 1, to allow for planning of the Doncaster Hill precinct. For an express bus service that mirrors the Suburban Rail Loop Alignment. Providing a public transport connection to key education, healthcare and employment precincts.
Over 125,000 people in our community will benefit from a Doncaster Station. Currently our only public transport option is an over-crowded bus network that is often delayed by traffic congestion.
With Doncaster Hill’s population and traffic continuing to grow, we are urging the Victorian Government to include a Doncaster Station in stage two of the SRL and secure a location for the train station now.
Car ownership per household is considerably high and daily public transport use for employment purposes is below the metropolitan average.
Our bus system is buckling under pressure to provide enough services and meet capacity for our growing city.
We are strongly advocating to the Victorian Government to include Doncaster Station in Stage two of the SRL.
We are working with stakeholders and the SRL Authority to secure a site location for the future train station.
We will continue to work with the Suburban Rail Loop Authority and the Department of Transport to advocate for improved public transport services to Manningham.
We want
Victoria is undergoing transformative change, with the State Government’s release of a number of important planning reforms.
These changes will affect the way that Manningham grows and will have impacts on the character and liveability of our neighbourhoods.
We will continue to advocate to the State Government on the implications of these reforms. We’re urging the State Government to continue to consult with us as we work closely with our communities to ensure these reforms align with their needs.
The State Government released its new statewide strategy, Plan for Victoria, on 28 February 2025.
The Plan for Victoria focuses on directing housing to activity centres close to stations and public transport. With updated planning controls, activity centres and priority precincts have been identified as the key places for the delivery of more homes.
The identified priority precincts are based around the Suburban Rail Loop precincts, including Box Hill and Burwood. The targeted activity centres are focused around the 60 identified activity centres that have both fixed rail and tram infrastructure.
It’s proposed that new planning controls will provide for taller buildings in the core of these centres and lower rise apartments within walking distance of the centre. None of these precincts or activity centres fall within Manningham.
On 24 February 2025, the Minister released the final housing targets for each local government area within Victoria, for delivery over the next 30 years.
Following Council advocacy, Manningham’ s housing target has been reduced to 28,500 dwellings, from the original target of 39,000 dwellings.
This revised target will have implications on Manningham’s future residential growth strategy and the identification of areas for increased densities.
We’re currently preparing a draft Residential Strategy that will respond to this target.
The next stage of consultation on the draft strategy will focus on identifying how housing growth and diversity of housing types will be managed in the urban parts of the municipality.
On 25 February 2025, the Victorian Government announced a new Townhouse and Low-rise code to come into effect in all planning schemes.
These changes represent a significant departure to the standards for multi-unit development under ResCode, which have been in place for many years. In addition, where a development proposal is deemed to meet the Code, residents will still be able to lodge an objection to council, however, will be unable to appeal the matter in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
On 27 February 2025, the Victorian Government announced the final 25 ‘train and tram zone’ locations to the Activity Centres Program.
This program is part of the Victorian Government Housing Statement reforms to provide capacity for 300,000 additional homes to 2051.
No additional activity centres within Manningham have been identified as part of this announcement.
We’re currently preparing detailed draft Activity Centre Design Guidelines to manage built form outcomes for residential development within our neighbourhood activity centres.
We expect that the implications of these reforms will become clearer in the coming months.
The changes will have direct impacts on a number of strategic projects being progressed by Council.
We’ll continue to keep you updated on any further changes announced by the State Government.
Doncaster Hill is a sustainable, high density, mixed-use village that provides for high quality urban living.
Located in the heart of Doncaster, Victoria, approximately 12kms from Melbourne's Central Business District.
An activity centre for our community.
We’re continuing to update Doncaster Hill to improve the way our community lives, works and enjoys this neighbourhood.
These works form a part of our infrastructure planning for this area and the long standing Doncaster Hill Strategy.
The concept design for Hepburn Reserve has been developed in response to community feedback and will include outdoor seating, a BBQ area, a drinking fountain, public art, large open lawn areas, a playspace, nature play, canopy tree planting, bike hoops and more.
This small local open space was upgraded in November 2019 to December 2020
New U-turn lane on Tram Road
Pedestrian signals at the Applewood Retirement Village
Extension to Hepburn Road
Tram Road and Merlin Street intersection traffic lights
With populations on the rise in Melbourne, Doncaster Hill is one of our solutions to meet the challenge of future housing needs. This modern urban village allows those of us who enjoy to live in the suburbs to continue to do so, whilst providing apartment-style living for others.
The Doncaster Hill Strategy helps guide us on the land use and development in this centre.
Many bus routes that are provided by Public Transport Victoria (PTV) travel through Doncaster Hill.
View the routes and timetables of the following bus services:
SmartBus
Local services
In addition to bus services, we are strongly advocating for alternate public transport options with the State Government:
Find out why we are reviewing our strategic vision
Use this toolkit to assist your developments in Doncaster Hill
To achieve our vision of a high quality, sustainable urban design environment, Doncaster Hill has a number of unique processes in place - in addition to the Manningham Planning Scheme provisions.
The tools below are designed to help you navigate more efficiently through the planning permit application process when developing in Doncaster Hill.
Find out about the boulevard construction specifications for developments located along Doncaster, Williamsons and Tram Roads (including the ceding of land to Council).
Find out how we manage the protection of neighbourhood amenity and assets during construction
All new major developments planned within Doncaster Hill are now required to supply a 3D building file of the proposed development.
Every planning permit issued within Doncaster Hill will include conditions for the submission of a Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) which achieves best practice outcomes. The SMP addresses a range of matters including water, energy and indoor environment quality.
With respect to water, it is a permit condition that the development must connect to Yarra Water’s recycled water and meet our stormwater objectives.
The Doncaster Hill Strategy provides an integrated planning response to the social, economic and environmental issues facing the Doncaster Hill Activity Centre. It provides a strategic framework for sustainable urban development and future land use. The strategy is designed to ensure that Doncaster Hill develops as a sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive urban centre, enhancing the quality of life for current and future residents.
Focus areas:
The purpose of the Doncaster Hill Mode Shift Plan is to identify actions to encourage a shift of 30 per cent to sustainable transport modes, prior to full development of the Hill, which is anticipated to occur in the next 20 to 30 years.
Focus areas:
Help celebrate the opening of the Doncaster Hill Community Garden’s new shed, art mural and food cubes.
The day will include an official opening of the shed by special guests Jane Edmanton (ABC Gardening Australia) and Mayor Cr Deidre Diamante at 11.00am. This will be followed by free children's gardening activities with Tiffany from Chooktopia.
For more information about getting involved in the Community Garden, contact Garden Coordinator Nigel Philpot at environment@manningham.vic.gov.au or call 9840 9333.
Please note, the garden is closed for renovations from June to August 2025.
Come and join the fun at the Doncaster Hill Community Garden!
Every 2 weeks community members gather to lend a hand with planting, sowing seeds, weeding, watering and harvesting fresh produce.
Comprising of 24 garden beds, fruit trees and herb patches, the produce is grown and harvested communally. There are no fences, locked gates or private plots. While most of the produce gets donated to local food banks, volunteers are able to get involved in fun and interesting activities, learn about gardening and connect with others.
The garden is open to all and welcomes anyone with an interest in growing food, meeting others and learning new things.
All gardening tools are provided. Please bring a water bottle, hat and closed toe shoes.
No registration required.
Come and join the fun at the Doncaster Hill Community Garden! Spend a morning in the garden, helping our community gardeners plant, weed, water, sow seeds and harvest fresh produce.
Followed by a huge tomato seed giveaway to help your garden growing this Spring.
All are welcome, no gardening experience necessary! Please reserve a free ticket, as numbers are limited.
A major urban design vision for Doncaster Hill is to develop a strong boulevard character along Doncaster Road, Williamsons Road and Tram Road and active street frontages along Doncaster Road and Williamson Road. Active street frontage areas will be the focal point for vibrant entertainment strips including café and leisure activities focusing on the length of Doncaster Road between Tram Road and the Civic Precinct.
The boulevard character will be supported by formal tree planting and a well defined built edge, with various pedestrian-generating and retail activities encouraged at street level.
A podium of at least 12 metres height shall be provided along the Boulevard frontages to achieve a consistent scale at street level.
Developments shall provide a uniform 5 metre setback to a podium from their street frontages in support of the boulevard and roadside planting, ceding 2 metres of land to Council ownership.
Vehicle crossings of pedestrian footpaths should be restricted to the minimum necessary to access the site. Pedestrian amenity should be considered a priority in developing appropriate pedestrian and vehicular networks.
Access to sunlight is an important consideration for boulevard areas. It must be demonstrated that the sun can penetrate onto the properties on the south side of Doncaster Boulevard from the building edge to the footpath (and not less than 1.2 metres south of the back of kerb) between 11.30am and 1.30pm at the winter solstice on June 22nd.
Developments shall incorporate high quality, contemporary street furniture and furnishings that contribute to the vibrant character of Doncaster Hill, subject to Council approval.
Landscape treatment of the ceded land and balance of street frontage area (to the back of kerb) shall be in accordance with the standard detail shown below, and carried out by the developer as part of the building development works.
The landscape treatment includes the construction of a 3.6 metre wide paved promenade along both sides of Doncaster Boulevard, Williamsons Road and Tram Road to encourage pedestrian activity, and two staggered avenues of deciduous trees planted at 12-15 metre spacings to the satisfaction of the Responsible
The promenades are to be reduced to 2.0 metres wide in gateway locations where a transition is required between the 3.6 metre wide path, and existing paths.
The specified species are the ‘Autumn Glory’ Plane tree at 3.5metres off-set from the building, and the ‘Chanticleer’ Pear planted at 1.8 metres from the kerb. Specified species are to be a minimum of 3.5 metres in height at the time of planting.
Basement car parking should be sufficiently set back from the tree alignment to allow for healthy root establishment.
A good quality tree grate (‘Gatic’ 874 x 874) and suitable root barrier are to be installed with each tree.
We will also plant trees where possible in the central road median.
The paving material selected for the Boulevards, side streets and other pedestrian spaces is Quartstone ‘Blue Onyx Honed’ 300 x 300 pavers Headers shall comprise Urbanstone shotblast Terracolour (Code 1563) 298.5 x 298.5 mm pavers.
The pavement is to be laid on a 75mm depth concrete base and nominal 30mm mortar bed. Where the pavement crosses vehicular crossing points, it is to be laid on a 150mm 20Mpa concrete slab ( with F82 centrally placed ) on a 50mm FCR
The 3 metre-wide street frontage areas between the new paved promenade and the front wall of the building will comprise a mix of hard and soft landscape treatment dependant upon the adjoining land use. The street frontage area should not be used for commercial display purposes. Paved areas within the 3 metre strip may incorporate outdoor seating and suitable glazed screens (of a type to be approved by Council) having regard to statutory requirements. Planting, grassed areas and paving works within the frontage areas and side streets should complement the boulevard landscape treatment. Strong architectural plants, either exotic or native, are suitable in these locations.
There may be opportunities to incorporate, integrated artwork within the street frontage area in liaison with the Doncaster Hill Public Art Advisory Committee.
Weather protection shall be provided at important pedestrian nodes along the Boulevards, including pedestrian crossing points.
A standard suite of street furniture including seating, vehicular and pedestrian lighting, rubbish containers, bollards and bicycle hoops will be specified by Council.
For all new major developments planned within Doncaster Hill, architects/developers are required to supply a 3D building file of the proposed development to support Manningham’s growing Digital Built Environment (DBE).
An up-to-date DBE is an essential tool for many of our key functions including:
We require your support to keep this DBE up-to-date by providing accurate 3D visualisations of your developments.
Prepare your 3D model files to these specifications:
File types
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File size
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.SKP
.3DS .DAE .DWG .FBX |
Maximum 100Mb
(Contact us if file size is larger than 100Mb)
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Deliver your file to us by DVD or USB drive:
Need help? Contact us.
Pine Hill Reserve is large (2 hectares) and offers a range of recreation and play opportunities for local residents. It links well to the local neighbourhood with Bus route 273 operating close by and pedestrian access from 6 streets: Twyford Close, Harrington Place, Howell Close, Five Crown Grove, Jefferson Grove and Crofton Terrace.
The Reserve was upgraded in 2013 with additional seating and improvements to the playground, basketball half court and exercise/ walking circuit.
The playground has play opportunities for young children including swings, slide, cubby house, rockers and a see-saw in a shady bushland setting. There is a basketball halfcourt, monkey bar and a spinning supernova for the older children.
Suitable age group: All ages
Mullum Mullum Reserve (600 metres)
Mullum Mullum Trail (870 Metres)
Have you noticed something unsafe like a broken tree branch or damaged playground that needs our attention?
Some types of events, such as festivals or school's cross country runs need a special permission to be held on public land.
One Tree Hill nature walk is the jewel in the crown of the Warrandyte Kinglake Nature Conservation Link. Explore habitat for many species no longer found further south.
Distance: 8kms
Time: 4.5 hours
Rating: Difficult
BYO lunch and water
Keep up to date with our latest environment and sustainability events by subscribing to our Environment Newsletter.
One Tree Hill Reserve (formerly Berrima Reserve) links Berrima Road with One Tree Hill and provides pleasant parkland for the surrounding area. The Reserve has a non traditional play function with wooden sculptures hidden amongst the trees and bushland around the hilltop.
The sculptures were installed in 1999 and while these are aging and in some instances have been broken, they remain sympathetic to the character of the Reserve. The sculptures along with the views, provide a reason for people to visit the Reserve and explore the natural environment.
The Reserve is well used and loved by locals, mainly for exercise, dog walking and relaxing. The Reserve offers a high vantage point which is popular with local residents to watch sunsets.
One Tree Hill Reserve is two hectares in size, contains remnant vegetation and forms part of McIntyre Road, Biosite 19. The vegetation is considered very high priority in our Healthy Habitats Bushland Management Strategy 2012. Future management of the Reserve will reflect this.
Have you noticed something unsafe like a broken tree branch or damaged playground that needs our attention?
Some types of events, such as festivals or school's cross country runs need a special permission to be held on public land.
Hire the Doncaster Playhouse in 2025
Are you a musical or theatre group looking to hire a venue for your show? Apply to be part of Doncaster Playhouse’s 2025 program. Hurry, only a limited number of bookings remain!
At Doncaster Playhouse, you can enjoy one of our many concerts or theatre shows.
Built in 1863, Doncaster Playhouse was the first primary school in the area. It was then refurbished in 1988 as a contemporary theatre and is now home to several community theatre companies.
Contact us to discuss wheelchair accessibility.
Office hours 9.00am to 5.00pm.
Other opening hours by performance.
To book tickets to a show, contact the production company directly.
To hire the Doncaster Playhouse or learn more about the venue, go to Doncaster Playhouse at Bookable.
Learn about our local wattles on this iconic walk through Warrandyte’s once thriving goldfields, now a haven for wildlife and wildflowers.
This is a circular walk that starts and finishes at the same location. A difficult 5.5km circuit with some very steep and slippery sections.
Wear solid walking shoes, weather appropriate clothing, a hat and sunscreen.
Participants must provide a mobile number.
Location will be given upon registration.
This event is part our Manningham Spring Outdoors Series, where we offer a range of fun outdoor activities across Manningham.
You can also check what’s happening across other Councils by visiting the Spring Outdoors website.
Keep up to date with our latest environment and sustainability events.
Dracula comes to Manningham!
Playhouse Players' “Dracula the Play” opens on World Dracula Day on Friday 26 May at the Doncaster Playhouse.
Local Director, Peter T Nathan is bringing to the stage Bram Stoker’s iconic work adapted by Steven Dietz.
Dietz’s 1996 version remains faithful to Bram Stoker’s original story. It evokes the same chilling tone created by Stoker and emulates the style of language common at the end of the 19th Century.
There will be special prizes on opening night for best dressed and themed food and drink.
This is great venue for private functions. It also caters for dance, martial arts or art classes. Small group meetings can be held in one of the smaller rooms containing a whiteboard, television and comfortable seating. This venue is conveniently located to Jackson Court Shopping Centre and limited off street parking is available.
The three meeting rooms can hold between 12 to 30 guests.
Hosting a birthday party? Our facilities cater for children aged 12 years or under and adults aged 22 years and above.
Take our virtual tour of Doncaster Senior Citizens Centre.
We have a pricing structure to suit your needs. Bookings during the week are for a minimum of 2 hours, and 4 hours during the weekend.
If you book more than 10 times during a year, you are eligible for the regular hirer rate.
Community | Commercial | |
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Main Hall - Casual Hirer | $69 per hour | $112 per hour |
Main Hall - Regular Hirer | $31 per hour | $35 per hour |
Meeting room - Casual Hirer | $37 per hour | $52 per hour |
Meeting room - Regular Hirer | $26 per hour | $31 per hour |
A set bond will be required two (2) weeks prior to your event date. The amount varies per venue and further information will be provided upon booking. All bond refunds are processed within ten (10) business days post event.
Make sure that you and your attendees are covered by public liability insurance. We can help to organise this for you.
Take our virtual tour of Doncaster Senior Citizens Centre, or contact our friendly staff with your questions on 9840 9458 or venues@manningham.vic.gov.au.
Open Day at the Doncaster Rovers Soccer Club welcoming members and new families.
Ample car parking available.
Everyone welcome.
Visit the Doncaster RSL's educational bus to mark the 50th anniversary of our Vietnam veterans, and learn about our wartime heritage.
Refreshments provided and groups welcome.