What if Melbourne had 300,000 truly liveable streets?

Imagine if our streets were designed to bring joy, connection and community action. Imagine if our streets were designed by us. This is the vision of Regen Melbourne's newly launched 300,000 Streets Earthshot. Lead convener Nina Sharpe shares the wildly ambitious thinking behind the project.

Taking it to the streets

Our streets are more than bitumen and stormwater drains. They're a uniquely shared space where our private selves meet the world, and community is formed. So, what if we allow our streets to play the vital role in life they are intended for?

Across Greater Melbourne, we have more than 300,000 streets that connect as a networked web. But as participation between the community and decision-makers erodes, fewer people feel like they have agency over shaping where they live. Despite making international headlines for liveability, research shows many Melbourne suburbs rank below five on the liveability index.

With high population density and a housing affordability crisis, our streets lack walkability, connectivity, green spaces, playgrounds and community hubs. A new and responsive approach is absolutely vital to design a resilient and interconnected city.

Enter: Regen Melbourne's 300,000 Streets Earthshot

Just like our wildly ambitious Swimmable Birrarung Earthshot, Regen Melbourne's newly launched 300,000 Streets project takes 12 months of sense-making, stakeholder engagement and research, and packages it into an ambitious plan to reimagine Melbourne's streets.

We are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, brought about by the erosion of community spaces and social engagement. Our streets offer a solution. The 300,000 Streets Earthshot aims to transform our streets from car-focused arenas into multifunctional community spaces that:

• Address climate resilience by increasing urban tree canopy and permeable surfaces.

• Enhance biodiversity through native plantings and green corridors.

• Promote sustainable transportation.

• Create more inclusive and connected communities.

No postcode left behind

We envision every street in Greater Melbourne becoming healthy, thriving and full of life. Imagine walking out of your front door and hearing bird life instead of traffic. Imagine streets shaded by tree canopies and food forests. Imagine streets designated for community celebrations rather than cars.

"By viewing our 300,000 streets as an interconnected living system, we can unlock powerful network effects that transcend individual street interventions."

Power to the people

Most Melburnians don't know how to advocate for their streets. Decisions about Melbourne's streets need to reflect co-design with communities, and must meet the needs of our community both today and for generations to come.

"300,000 Streets is about reclaiming our collective power to shape the places we call home."

100-80-8

These numbers represent the final destination for the 300,000 Streets Earthshot.

100: Community first

Every local government area will have more than 100 community-led initiatives.

80: Democratic participation

80% of final decisions in local councils are influenced by meaningful community input.

8: Liveability

There is a minimum livability index rating of 8 across Greater Melbourne.

Making 300,000 Streets a reality

After a year of sense-making and relationship building, we now turn our attention towards the projects that will realise this vision. The question isn't whether we can transform every street in Melbourne. The question is: what will your street look like when we focus on the interventions that matter most?

If you'd like to discuss the 300,000 Streets Earthshot, send Nina an email at nina@regen.melbourne