Gasworks Arts Park

Access

Gasworks Arts Park is bordered by Graham, Pickles, Richardson and Foote streets in Albert Park.
There are access gates located along each street perimeter.

Getting there

Trams

Catch tram number 1 along Victoria Street and get off at stop number 30 at Graham street or stop number 31 at Victoria street and walk 2 blocks west toward Pickles Street.

Bus

Take route 606 along Richardson Street and get off outside Gasworks or take routes 250, 251 or 253 along Bay Street, Port Melbourne and walk along Richardson toward the corner of Richardson and Pickles.

Parking

There are parking bays located on Graham street adjacent to the theatre and gallery entrance. Parking restrictions apply. The gravel area previously used for parking is now closed and returned to parkland to reduce the risk to public safety.

Download the Travel Smart Map of Port Phillip (PDF 2.5 MB)

Alternatively, visit the Public Transport Victoria website for further information.

Attractions

The arts complex includes two theatres, three gallery spaces, a café, function and workshop spaces. The artist studios support sixteen resident visual artists. The reserve hosts a farmers market on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

Restrictions

Dogs are permitted off-leash, though dogs are not permitted within 5 meters of the playground and BBQ areas, penalties apply. Parking restrictions apply in some surrounding streets, please check the parking signs for more information or call ASSIST on 03 9209 6777 for specific parking information.

About the park

The land was originally leased by the South Melbourne Gas Company. It was a gasworks foundry from 1871, until its closure in 1971. After the plant closed, South Melbourne City Council purchased the Council’s portion of the site in 1979. The rest of the site remained as Crown Land. The South Melbourne City Council was appointed Committee of Management over the crown land portion of the park in 1982. In 1984 Council established a working party to prepare a plan for the transformation of the site into a park.

Soil testing and remediation of the site initially began in 1985. In 1986, whilst this work was underway, a park plan was developed to transform the former site into a park. Original features of the foundry were retained and remain within the park today. Gasworks Inc. was formed in 1986 and was funded to develop an arts precinct in the park. The renovated industrial buildings now cater for theatre productions, artists’ studios and art galleries and house a café.

Public art

There are a number of public art pieces within the park as well as the Gasworks Theatre and artists studios. For more information on public artworks or to organise an art tour, visit the Gasworks Arts Park website.

Bush trail

There were many aboriginal language groups living along the Victorian coastline that used plants for food and medicinal purposes. The Bush Trail through the park takes you on a journey of discovery exploring the plant life of Melbourne’s coastline. Today we still make products from many of these plants, including medicines.

Download the Bush trail walking map and botanical information (PDF 206 KB).

Contamination management

Gasworks Arts Park requires soil and groundwater contamination management to address the long standing issue of contamination at the site.

Council is working closely with the State Government who are coordinating and managing the environmental consultants preparing the Contamination Management Framework (CMF), to manage the contamination at the Park. 

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has deemed the site safe for ongoing use as a public park, and it will remain open to the community whilst further investigations and any works required to manage the contamination occur.