Top award for Millers Pool

The restoration and upgrade of Millers Pool on the South Perth Foreshore, by the City of South Perth has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects WA at an awards ceremony held in Perth on Friday 21 July 2017.

The City’s Millers Pool project received the prestigious Land Management Landscape Architecture Award from a record 46 entries submitted across 13 categories. The Awards provide a key vehicle for the promotion of the achievements and work of landscape architects in WA.  

Commencing in September 2016, the project was completed in December 2016, and is part of the City’s South Perth Foreshore Strategy and Management Plan (SPF Plan) which aims to balance the competing demands for use, development and management of this precious regional reserve with the need to conserve and enhance a functional healthy river and foreshore environment. 

Commended as an exemplary multidisciplinary project incorporating engineering, landscape, art, recreational and environmental components, the Millers Pool project improves amenity, access natural features of the Mill Point foreshore.

“Exhibiting a strong connection between ecology and the urban environment, Millers Pool walks the delicate line between a strongly designed space and one showcasing restoration and conservation efforts. The result is a space which has the potential to increase the public’s awareness of the need for ecological restoration while providing a successful public amenity,” the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects judging panel commented.

Landscape, environmental and amenity improvements include picnic and seating areas, a boardwalk and small viewing jetty across the pool and planting of native vegetation and trees. The view towards the Old Mill has been opened up, highlighted by an avenue of trees.

A new path network connects the pool with a Foreshore Walk from the Esplanade to join with the recently completed paths and picnic areas west of the Narrows Bridge.
Reflections a solar-powered kinetic sculpture by artist team Jana Wallace Braddock and Shane Mullins, printed artworks by Curtin Primary School students of the native samphire plant and a shade screen designed by Noongar artist Kylie Graham are incorporated into the landscape design of the area. 

“Millers Pool has a rich indigenous history, the area and its surrounds was part of an important camping and fishing area for the Noongar/Bibbulmun people,” Mayor Doherty said. 

“As part of the project the City engaged its Aboriginal Reference Group and worked collaboratively with an indigenous advisor for comment and approval of the public art. The artworks commissioned by the City each respond in their way to a sense of place and reflect the cultural, contextual and geographical history of this important site.”

The new car park employs Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) principals to treat storm water run-off prior to entering Millers Pool and the Swan River, along with road improvements at the Mill Point Road entrance.

The City planted approximately 30,000 native seedlings and plants, and almost 90 trees in the area, with 20 existing trees retained on the site including two significant Eucalyptus trees. Forty-five different species of native plants were used with the majority grown in the City's nursery. 

The award-winning Millers Pool landscape design was undertaken by Ecoscape in association with Stuart Pullyblank (Pullyblank Pty Ltd), engineering design components by GFG group, lighting by ETC and main works by Civcon.

“This project involved many years of planning, including community consultation, hard work and coordination by City of South Perth staff and contractors to reach completion,” Mayor Sue Doherty said.

“The City has received fantastic feedback about the upgrades to Millers Pool from the local and wider community. We are immensely proud of the project and know it will continue to be well visited by people from across Perth as well as tourists from interstate and international.

“The City and the elected representatives of the Council have a responsibility to provide leadership and guide future directions for the South Perth Foreshore, a regional reserve of state significance, to meet the needs of current and future generations.”