Timber Reserve Master Plan

Share your feedback on the draft Timber Reserve Master Plan

Have your say on the future of Timber Reserve by sharing your feedback on the draft master plan. It outlines proposed upgrades and improvements to guide future investment at the reserve.

The draft plan has been shaped by feedback from the first round of consultation in September and October 2025 with residents, clubs and users helping to identify priorities for this popular recreational space.

Key proposals of the draft plan include:

• a new sports pavilion with gender-inclusive change rooms, an upgraded social room and kitchen, spaces for match officials, first aid and storage, improved spectator amenities and public toilets
• reconfigured soccer pitches to meet Football Victoria guidelines
• a reconstructed cricket pitch to meet Cricket Australia standards
• enhanced informal recreation and play features
• a new fitness station to replace the southern playground, once it reaches its end of life
• new and improved footpaths as infrastructure requires upgrading
• improved car parking.

Changes to reserve access

We’re also considering changes to vehicle access, with a proposal to close the Marriane Way entrance to cars. Pedestrian access would stay open.

Fenced dog park

While we received feedback about a fenced dog park at the reserve, it is not included in the draft master plan at this stage. Instead, the area north of the oval would stay as it is.

We’ll consider dog park locations more broadly across Manningham as part of our Open Space Strategy, which opens for community feedback later in July 2026 at Your Say Manningham.

Complete our survey

We’re now seeking feedback on the draft master plan until 11:59 pm, Sunday 2 August. You can view the draft Timber Reserve Master Plan and have your say by completing our short survey.

Attend a pop-up information session

We’re holding 2 pop-up information sessions, with a free barbecue, at the Timber Reserve spectator shelter. Council staff will be available to explain the master plan in more detail and answer your questions.

Pop up 1: Tuesday 21 July, 6 pm to 8 pm

Pop-up 2: Saturday 25 July, 9 am to 12 noon.

We’ve been considering your feedback and are moving ahead with the next steps for the Timber Reserve Master Plan.

The draft master plan will be presented at the 30 June Council Meeting. Subject to Council endorsement, the plan will be released for further community consultation in July 2026.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback during the first consultation phase, which ran from September to October 2025.

What we heard

Timber Reserve is a highly valued and popular neighbourhood open space that supports physical activity, health and wellbeing, and community connection.

Our community told us they support improvements that will make the reserve safer, easier to access and better for shared use, especially at busy times. These improvements should also protect open space and neighbourhood amenity.

Key themes included:

• the reserve is used for organised sport, walking, dog exercise, play and informal recreation.

• managing shared use, particularly at peak times, is important so different activities can work well together.

• there are opportunities to improve use of the oval outside organised activities.

• better everyday amenities are important, including playground improvements, shelter, barbecues, drinking water taps, bins and paths.

• safety is a key priority, including vehicle management, pedestrian safety and the clear separation of people and cars.

• parking pressures around Marianne Way during games and training are a concern.

• there are mixed views about whether a dedicated dog park should be included.

Council Meeting details

When:

Tuesday 30 June 2026 at 7 pm

Where:

Community members are welcome to attend the meeting in person at the Civic Centre or watch the livestream.

In person: Council Chamber, Manningham Civic Center, 699 Doncaster Road, Doncaster

Online: Livestream available via our website or Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback on Timber Reserve.

This has helped us understand your preferences and will help inform the development of a draft Timber Reserve Master Plan.

We received more than 100 submissions, and heard that you value the reserve for a range of reasons including the walking paths, greenery and trees, the large playground and the space to kick a ball on the sports ground or exercise your dog.

Over the coming months we will be working with our project consultants to prepare a draft concept design for the reserve.

We anticipate this will be ready to share with the community and reserve user groups from July 2026.

We’ll provide further updates as soon as we have more information.