The four landscape images depicted in the 1984 master plan identified the landscape character aspirations for Royal Park. They are sketches of:

• Landform and horizon
• Sky and wind
• Expansive grassland
• Tree form and silhouette

These images successfully captured the essence of Royal Park at the time and provided a distinctive structure to direct the physical intent of future developments in the park. The sketches and a contemporary interpretation of the each are provided as comparison photographs in the image slider below.

The significance and strength of the landscape character sketches as a tool for park planning is recognised in the draft Conservation Management Plan (CMP) we commissioned to help inform the master plan. The draft CMP suggests that future design proposals should remain true to the landscape characters initially identified in the 1984 master plan.

Maintaining these distinct landscape characters while experiencing more challenging climatic conditions and high usage requires us to be diligent about educating planners and maintainers of the landscape significance.

Two notable developments in the park since the 1984 master plan that do not conform to the four landscape characters are the development of the Billabong (between Flemington Road and the North Park Tennis Club) and the Trin Warren Tam-boore wetlands either side of Oak Street.

These two popular and successful water-related projects, along with the more recent reintegration of the creek corridor between Orygen Youth Health and the former CSL site into the park, have highlighted that the four landscape characters do not acknowledge or recognise the significance of water in the landscape.