Flood Modelling – Birrarung (Yarra River) Greenline Project

Rain was engaged to provide flood modelling for Stage 1 and Stage 2 of The Greenline Implementation Plan for the City of Melbourne.

The City of Melbourne’s Greenline project will deliver a 4-kilometre pathway connecting destinations along the Birrarung’s (Yarra River’s) northern bank from Birrarung Marr to the Bolte Bridge. Rain worked alongside the design team, providing flood advice and evolving the design of this incredibly important feature, as well as navigating and leading discussions and approvals with the local flood authority.

Above & Beyond Strategies

This project required Rain to navigate several complex environmental factors, including flood modelling of floating structures along the Birrarung, such as a helipad, floating restaurant, recreational boating dock and the innovative floating wetlands.

Rain:

• Worked alongside the City of Melbourne and design team to balance flood resilience with the project’s vision for a vibrant, connected and ecologically rich river corridor.
• Assessed a range of innovative river-based features, helping the project team understand opportunities, constraints and practical pathways forward.
• Brought together designers, technical specialists and stakeholders to build a shared understanding of flood-related considerations and support informed decision-making.
• Led discussions with the flood authority to help progress approvals and ensure flood risk was appropriately managed without compromising the project’s broader community and environmental aspirations.

Rain’s specialist flood modelling and strategic advice enabled the design team and City of Melbourne to confidently progress innovative riverfront elements, including floating wetlands, overwater boardwalks and recreational infrastructure. The work supported flood authority engagement and approvals, reduced project risk, and helped demonstrate that environmental enhancement and flood resilience could be successfully delivered together. Rain’s contributions have already informed the successful delivery of Greenline Site 1 – Birrarung Marr Precinct and the implementation of floating wetland trials within the Birrarung.

Rain helped establish a flood-informed design framework for one of Melbourne’s most significant public realm projects. By balancing flood safety, environmental restoration and community aspirations, our work demonstrated how innovative riverfront infrastructure can coexist with the dynamic flood behaviour of the Birrarung.

The modelling and design principles developed through Greenline will help guide future stages of this once-in-a-generation transformation, supporting a healthier, more accessible and more resilient river corridor for Melbourne.

The Greenline Project seeks to reconnect people, place and ecology along four kilometres of the river’s northern bank while enhancing biodiversity, public access and the health of the Birrarung.