Fresh start for revitalised Peter Hopper Lake
Published on 16 March 2026
Peter Hopper Lake in Mill Park is set to welcome back residents and wildlife following the completion of a multimillion-dollar revitalisation project.
City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox and Federal Member for Scullin Andrew Giles inspected the lake during a visit to Redleap Recreation Reserve last week.
They were joined by former long-serving Whittlesea Shire engineer Peter Hopper, after whom the lake was named, and members of the Friends of Peter Hopper Lake group.
In recent years, water quality at Peter Hopper Lake had declined, causing frequent blue-green algae blooms that are unsightly and harmful to wildlife.
With the support of a $2 million grant from the Australian Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, Council commenced a multi-stage revitalisation project in early 2024.
The first stage involved removing more than 10,000 cubic metres of silt and other pollutants that had accumulated on the lakebed over many decades.
The lake was then drained and reshaped with a sediment pond, followed by new inlet pipes to allow more stormwater diversion into the lake after it passes through a gross pollutant trap. The lake water is then pumped to an adjoining raingarden.
This infrastructure will improve the quality of water flowing into the lake and keep it circulating to reduce harmful nutrient build up.
While all the infrastructure is in place, the underwater plants that help absorb nutrients and balance the lake’s ecosystem need more time to establish.
Recent visitors may have noticed some plant growth on the lake’s surface. This is not algae, but rather a bloom of the aquatic fern azolla.
As the underwater plants continue to grow and more regular rainfall returns, the lake’s water quality is expected to stabilise and improve.
Council will continue to monitor the situation closely.
For safety reasons, the temporary fencing around the lake will remain until works to reconstruct the circuit path are completed in the coming months.
The City of Whittlesea contributed $3 million towards the $5 million project.
Quotes attributable to City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox:
“The revitalised Peter Hopper Lake gives Mill Park residents a place to socialise and exercise while enjoying the surrounding natural beauty.
"Improving the lake’s water quality will not only reduce the likelihood of algae outbreaks but provide a thriving habitat for a diverse range of native flora and fauna.
“I would like to thank the community for its patience while we’ve undertaken this complex project and I acknowledge the commitment and dedication of our staff.
“I also want to thank the Australian Government for its financial support. This is another example of different levels of government working together to deliver a great outcome for our community.”