Victorian Government Activity Centres Program - Expansion to Thornbury

Published on 10 September 2025

September 2025 Update:

State Government releases plans for Thornbury Activity Centres

As part of its Activity Centres Program, the State Government has this week released plans for two new activity centres in Darebin, at High Street and St Georges Road in Thornbury.  

Council officers have been providing technical feedback to state agencies advocating for the best outcomes for our community to ensuring that growth in Thornbury is sustainable, well-designed, and supported by the infrastructure and services our community needs.  

Key advocacy priorities include: 

• Directing housing growth in the right paces in line with Council’s Housing Strategy, with clear targets for affordable and social housing. 
• Ensuring planning controls deliver high-quality, sustainable design, appropriate building heights, and protection for heritage and neighbourhood character. 
• Improving public and active transport connections, upgrading accessible (DDA-compliant) tram stops, and funding priority projects in Darebin’s Transport Strategy. 
• Strengthening environmental sustainability with minimum environmentally sustainable design standards, more canopy cover, climate resilience measures, and better stormwater management. 
• Securing fair developer contributions for parks, community facilities and public realm upgraders to meet the needs of a growing population. 
• Keeping the community involved in planning with transparent decision-making and ongoing opportunities to share feedback. 

Council will take a submission to a meeting in October. See meeting dates and agendas here

Our recently adopted Housing Strategy will guide how we advocate for housing growth in these centres 

The second stage of engagement is now open, and we will again be making a submission calling for the best outcomes for Darebin. To have your say, visit: Thornbury | Activity Centres Program – Phase 2: Sharing our draft maps | Engage Victoria

April 2025 Update

Following the completion of the ten pilot centres, including Preston, the Victorian Government announced in April 2025 plans to expand its Activity Centre Program.

The expanded Activity Centre Program involves planning for more homes in 50 additional centres close to train and tram zones across Melbourne. Within Darebin two new centres are being planned in Thornbury: High Street (Thornbury) on the Mernda line and St Georges Road (Thornbury) on the Route 11 tram line.

State-led consultation: The State Government will conduct two phases of consultation, starting in early May. This will include drop-in or online Q&A sessions, online surveys for submissions, and a community reference group process. To join the community conversation on the two new centres visit Engage Victoria