In 1985, Melbourne’s central city faced a decline due to suburbanization. Politicians developed a comprehensive strategy that today is still active to revitalize it by building key characteristics and increasing its residential population, aiming for a 24-hour city with a people-oriented focus rather than car dominance. Objectives included converting 8,000 units within 15 years, enhancing resilience through local character, renewable energy, and improved infrastructure. Ten key interventions included promoting local character, increasing density, enhancing public spaces, and connectivity, climate adaptation strategies like the Urban Forest and City as a Catchment, public-private partnerships, green buildings, and renewable energy.
Since 1985, Melbourne’s downtown population has grown from 685 dwellings to 63,056, creating a walkable mixed-use city center. The city has been carbon neutral since 2012, reduced council operation emissions by 79%, purchased 100% renewable energy, and certified major events as carbon neutral. It planted 3,000 trees annually, totaling over 30,000 in the past decade, and invested in stormwater systems providing 23% of water use. Melbourne increased biodiversity, enhanced the public realm, created bike lanes, converted 80 hectares of infrastructure to open space, and launched waste and recycling initiatives. These efforts led to Melbourne being named the world’s most liveable city by the Economist seven times and garnered the transfer of these ideas across the metropolitan area.