City of Casey will celebrate opening of $125m Bunjil Place this weekend

FOUNTAIN Gate will score a flashy new, $125m civic and entertainment complex when it opens this weekend — and here’s how you can be part of the opening of Bunjil Place.

A FEDERATION Square-style leisure and entertainment complex in Melbourne’s outer southeast is the biggest single project completed by a Victorian council.

Due to open this weekend, the $125 million Bunjil Place in Narre Warren will include civic offices, an 800-seat theatre, library, gallery, function centre and plaza with a big screen and amphitheatre.

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The City of Casey stumped up $115 million for the massive project next to Fountain Gate Shopping Centre while the Federal Government gave $10 million.

But the council failed in a bid to get $10 million from a State Government “interface growth fund”.

Bunjil Place, next to Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, will open this weekend. Picture: AAP/ Chris Eastman

A shiny new piece of infrastructure will introduce a theatre, library, gallery and function space to the area.

In 2015, the Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association questioned the value of pouring money into ‘what are essentially new council offices and entertainment areas’.

The association wanted more funds spent tackling the city’s drug and youth suicide problems, providing better street lighting and supporting community groups like Neighbourhood Watch.

However, Bunjil Place will officially open at 10am on Saturday with a weekend of free festivities planned, including performances by comedians Peter Helliar and Charlie Pickering.

Casey Mayor Sam Aziz claimed it would be “the first facility of its kind, bringing together creativity, entertainment and community in a way that’s unparalleled in Australia”.

“Council has been dedicated in its cause to provide quality arts and cultural facilities that our

residents, and those in surrounding regions, deserve so we couldn’t be prouder of this facility

and what it has to offer,” he said.

The $125 million Bunjil Place is the first facility of its kind, bringing together creativity, entertainment and community in a way that’s unparalleled in Australia.

The City of Casey stumped up $115 million for the massive project next to Fountain Gate Shopping Centre while the Federal Government gave $10 million.

The three-level library will feature a digital games area, reading amphitheatre and outdoor reading garden while the plaza will include water features and a playground.

Council staff are due to move into Bunjil Place on Monday, and the old civic centre and library will be demolished and a decision to be made later on the site’s future.

The council will take eight years to pay off loans for the project.

@JMasanauskas