Draffin Street Furniture Contributes to Greenline’s Birrarung Marr Transformation
The completion of the Birrarung Marr precinct marks an important milestone in Melbourne’s Greenline Project, a long-term initiative transforming the north bank of the Yarra River (Birrarung) into a series of connected public spaces, promenades and destinations for the community. The newly completed section delivers over 450 metres of revitalised riverfront, featuring new boardwalks, native landscaping, shaded resting areas and public amenities that invite people to reconnect with the water’s edge.
Draffin Street Furniture was proud to support this project through the manufacture and supply of a suite of proprietary furniture designs developed by the City of Melbourne. The project showcases the importance of collaboration between council, designers, landscape architects and local manufacturers in delivering high-quality public spaces that will serve Melbourne for decades to come.
Supporting a Landmark Public Space
The Birrarung Marr precinct represents the first completed stage of a broader vision to create a continuous, accessible and engaging riverfront experience along Melbourne’s north bank. As the city’s relationship with the Birrarung continues to evolve, the importance of durable and thoughtfully integrated public infrastructure becomes increasingly evident.
Street furniture plays a vital role in shaping how people interact with public spaces. Seating, gathering areas and resting points help transform pathways and promenades into places where people can pause, meet, observe and connect with their surroundings. Within Birrarung Marr, the furniture has been carefully integrated into the broader landscape to support both functionality and the visitor experience.
Birrarung Marr is precinct one of five precincts that once completed will stretch 4 kilometres along the along the Birrarung (Yarra River) from Birrarung Marr to the tip of North Wharf at Melbourne Docklands.
Manufacturing for Public Realm Excellence
Manufacturing for Public Realm Excellence
While the furniture designs were developed as proprietary assets of the City of Melbourne, bringing those designs to life required a manufacturing partner capable of delivering to the demanding standards of a major civic project.
Draffin worked closely with project stakeholders to manufacture furniture that met the project’s requirements for durability, longevity and performance within a highly visible public environment. Fabricated locally in Australia, the products were produced to withstand intensive public use while maintaining the quality and aesthetic intent of the original designs.
The project highlights the value of local manufacturing expertise in delivering complex public infrastructure outcomes. Through precision fabrication and attention to detail, proprietary design concepts were translated into robust, buildable products ready for installation on one of Melbourne’s most significant waterfront developments.
Proudly Australian, Proudly Melbourne
Proudly Australian, Proudly MelbourneAs an Australian manufacturer with decades of experience delivering public realm solutions, Draffin Street Furniture understands the important role that local industry plays in shaping civic spaces.
Participation in projects such as Birrarung Marr reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting councils, landscape architects and project teams with high-quality manufacturing outcomes. Whether producing custom furniture, proprietary designs or standard product suites, our focus remains the same: delivering durable, practical and attractive solutions that enhance the public realm.
A note on material choice..
City life on street furniture is tough. Materials and preparation of those materials are key to heavy-duty performance. The City of Melbourne performed a life cycle costing comparison study over a 25-year term for furniture in use across the city a few years back. Through this study they determined that despite the initial higher cost of 316 grade stainless steel, the cost and servicing and maintenance on non-stainless-steel street furniture would eventually exceed the initial outlay. Needless to say, that the City of Melbourne specify most furniture in this material now.
The other material they also specify consistently is Blackbutt, a native Australian hardwood sourced from responsibly managed forests and selected for its strength, natural durability, and attractive appearance. It can be difficult to spot the differences between Blackbutt and Draffin’s standard Class 1 Spotted Gum for appearance, qualities, and sustainability.
Looking Ahead
The completion of Birrarung Marr represents the beginning of a larger transformation that will continue to reconnect Melbourne with its riverfront. As future stages of the Greenline Project progress, they will further expand opportunities for recreation, connection and community gathering along the Birrarung.
Draffin Street Furniture is proud to have contributed to this important Melbourne project and always looks forward to continuing to support the creation of high-quality public spaces across Australia.
