Eastern Hill, east of Central Albury, offers passive recreation like bushwalking, birdwatching, trail running and stunning views from the Eastern Hill Rotary Lookout.
The Eastern Hill Activation Master Plan was endorsed by Council on the 27 November 2023. Projects from the master plan will be considered in future budgets.
Eastern Hill is located to the east of Central Albury, adjacent to the localities of East Albury, Mungabareena Reserve, Doctors Point and Eastern View Estate. It is currently accessed by residents and visitors for predominantly passive recreational purposes such as bushwalking, birdwatching and trail running. The Eastern Hill Rotary Lookout is a well-known vantage point to take in the views of Albury and its surrounding landscapes.
The Eastern Hill Activation Master Plan (EHAMP) seeks to provide an aspirational and practical vision which sensitively balances future activation while protecting the Reserves unique natural character. The Master Plan has broadened the definition of activation to include physical, ecological and spiritual activation as a means of achieving this balanced solution.
Endorsed at the 27 November 2023 Council Meeting, the Eastern Hill Activation Master Plan (EHAMP) seeks to guide the future use, management and proposed activation of the site.
As per the resolution of Council, both Biodiversity and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessments were completed by qualified consultants. The due diligence assessments have identified that there are likely to be no significant biodiversity, or Aboriginal cultural heritage impacts of the proposed projects identified in the Master Plan. Both assessments provide mitigation measures that can be implemented in the detailed design phase of these projects to further protect and enhance the environmental and Aboriginal cultural heritage values of Eastern Hill. Each of the projects within the Master Plan will require a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to be completed prior to any construction commencing, which will provide another opportunity to minimise impact to the area.
Before any works commence, each project within the Master Plan will also undergo a Review of Environmental Factors (REF). This process provides another opportunity to minimise potential impacts and ensure we are acting with care.
While delivering the Master Plan remains an important project for AlburyCity, funding has been deferred in the short term due to financial sustainability priorities and competing needs across the city. The plan will be reviewed annually to explore whether elements can be funded in future budgets, and it will be reconsidered during the public exhibition of the 2026–2030 budget.
In the meantime, we will continue working closely with stakeholders to review and plan priority projects from the Master Plan so that we are ready to move forward when funding becomes available.
