Melbourne's CBD Laneways Are Going Green

As if Melbourne's laneways weren't ace enough already, they're going green. And you, mighty Melburnians, get to help choose which ones return to Eden first.

The City of Melbourne is planning is to transform up to four laneway spots in the CBD, initially. With more than 200 laneways in the city centre, picking the prime spots to green will be no mean feat. Each successful laneway will score a healthy assortment of greenery — from trees and climbing plants to vertical gardens and planter boxes.

"Our laneways have enormous potential to become our city’s backyards," said councillor Arron Wood, chair of the environment portfolio. "By greening our laneways we can create cooler microclimates, capture storm water and continue to combat the urban heat island effect. It’s good for the environment, good for the look of our city and great for people.”

In an initiative Cr Wood described as a world-first, the City has developed online maps, demonstrating each laneway's potential for plant life and highlighting options for greening. Results are determined by a variety of factors, such as sunlight and wind exposure.

To nominate your preferred laneway, head over here before Friday, November 13. While you're at it, you can offer to volunteer your time and submit ideas. The public vote will result in a shortlist, from which an expert panel of engineers, sustainability professionals, landscape architects and place makers, will determine pilot participants. If you'd like to find out more, there's an info session being held at Shebeen, in Manchester Lane, on Wednesday, October 28 between 5.30pm and 7pm.

Green Your Laneway is on trial as one arm of the City's Love Your Laneway program. Meanwhile, the Urban Forest Strategy is striving to address climate change and reduce Melbourne's summer temperatures by four degrees Celsius. Green days ahead.