By Goya Dmytryshchak
The ‘Grazeland’ food precinct catering for 30,000 people at Spotswood has gained approval from Hobsons Bay council and is slated to open for summer.
The council is on Thursday expected to issue a planning permit for what has been dubbed “Melbourne’s most exciting new culinary destination”.
Museums Victoria, which also manages the Royal Exhibition Building, called for expressions of interest from vendors to operate at the vacant Crown land that was recently used to film
Australian Ninja Warrior.
The EoI document stated the precinct would be “reminiscent of a permanent street party or laneway festival”.
Push Projects’ application states the “festive, family-focused food and entertainment precinct” will operate each weekend for about three years.
“Vendors at Grazeland will be carefully curated to provide diversity for our customers,” it states.
“By selecting only specialists in each particular style or type of food, we ensure our customers are not presented with mediocrity.”
It is expected to have 71 traders including 41 selling savoury food and dessert and 28 offering sweets, fresh foods, potato sticks, fruit drinks, face-painting, temporary tattoos, fairy floss, promotional products and branded merchandise.
There will also be three bars, live on-stage entertainment, roving artists and performers, and multiple private function spaces.
The 8700 square metre site will have two gates and an entrance fee of $2.50 or free for accompanied children under 12.
Grazeland would be open every weekend of the year, trading Friday from 5-10pm, Saturday from noon-10pm and Sunday from noon-9pm.
Projected figures predict the precinct will attract 8000 visitors on Fridays, 12,600 on Saturdays and 9400 on Sundays.
As part of the council’s approval, if overflow car parking causes a nuisance, additional car parking is to be provided onsite or in other approved locations.
The council received three objections and one letter of support of the Grazeland application.
Grounds for objections included concerns about increased traffic, pedestrian safety, onsite parking provision, noise, scale and an adverse economic impact on existing local traders.
