Point Cook Pop Up Park

Point Cook is Australia’s most multicultural suburb and one of the fastest growing areas in the country, home to over 67 000 people (2021) from 86 countries and 160 different ethnicities. It has a very young demographic of families with over a third of the population under 14 years of age.

Point Cook Pop Up Park (PCPUP) was an idea proposed to Connect the Heart of the Community and create a focal point to congregate and get to know one another, and support our local traders. Catalysed through Melbourne placemaking consultancy - CoDesign Studio's The Neighbourhood Project, PCPUP was successfully piloted in 2018, and has since been actively supported by local community members and is a popular pop up space amongst locals and visitors alike.

 

Project Success and Progress

 

Read our White Paper (2019) which details the project and success in creating connections and supporting the local economy. Additionally, explore our 2019 and 2020 narrative to see our progression.

 

Pop Up Park Through The Years

 

Point Cook Pop Up Park set up team

Bump in, 2019

 

Point Cook Pop Up Park Shipping Container with signage on left and right sides

PCPUP Programming, 2019

 

Womens Day Event 2019

International Women's Day Event, 2020

 

Covid-19 Activation, 2021

 

Holi Festival, 2022

 

SpringFest 2023 Carols in the Park

Images by David Mullins

 

Point Cook Pop Up Park Revitalisation

 

The ongoing popularity of Point Cook Pop Up Park and the important role it has served as a community meeting place in the centre of Point Cook, has resulted in the Pop Up Park entering its next phase of becoming a permanent space. The assets made and purchased for the original pilots in 2018 and 2019 worked hard and provided a successful temporary placemaking project that has served our community well.

In 2023, the Pop Up Park underwent a revitalisation due to support, partnership and funding from Stockland Shopping Centre, Victoria State Government Living Local Fund and Wyndham City Council. The revitalisation of the Pop Up Park has amplified already popular annual events and activities that the community enjoys and built capacity for new activations such as Kaleidoscope and Spring Festival.

 

Rainbow Serpent Mural

 

As part of the Revitalisation, artists Fiona Clarke and Ken Mckean developed the Point Cook Pop Up Park Rainbow Serpent Mural, featuring community stories and memories of animals and plants in Point Cook. 

 

 

Kaleidoscope

 

In 2023, we collaborated with local cultural groups and volunteers to hold the first Point Cook Pop Up Park Kaleidoscope festival. Over 11,000 people visited the 7-week festival with over 10 cultural, religious, and ethnic groups represented.

We are bringing back Kaleidoscope in February 2024, find out more here Kaleidoscope 2024.

 

Greek Family Fun Day, 2023

 

Spring Festival 2023

 

We were excited to trial the Point Cook Pop Up Park SpringFest 2023, made possible through funding and support from Stockland, Wyndham City Council and the State Government’s Small and Medium Events Program Grant. The festival ran from Saturday 28 October to Saturday 16 Decemberand and featured brand new events such as the Springfest Carnival, Halloween Spookfest, Spring Racing Fun Day, Sustainability Day Festival and Children's Day Rainbows & Unicorns Party. Over 16,000 attendees participated in more than 35 activations and events.

Special thanks to the volunteers, collaborators and businesses who made the festival possible.

 

Images by David Mullins, 2023

 

Stakeholders

Wyndham City Council, Stockland Point Cook, The Victorian State Government and Point Cook Community Groups and Members