Major upgrade to breathe new life into The Boulevard
Published on 18 December 2025
A plan to upgrade The Boulevard retail precinct in Thomastown to boost the local economy through improved safety, accessibility and streetscape improvement is taking shape, following the City of Whittlesea’s appointment of a contractor to carry out the works.
Councillors voted at Tuesday night’s Council Meeting to award The Boulevard Town Centre Revitalisation contract to its preferred tenderer ahead of construction works starting in early 2026.
The $4.2 million project continues Council’s investment in its Town Centre Revitalisation Program, which aims to attract more people to the retail hubs to shop and socialise in comfortable surrounds.
Recent projects completed under the program include upgrades to the Tramoo Street shopping precinct in Lalor, Alexander Avenue shopping precinct in Thomastown and Gorge Road shopping precinct in South Morang.
The Boulevard upgrade will deliver:
- wider footpaths and trading areas
- shared paths and bicycle lanes
- pedestrian crossings
- a raised intersection
- additional car parking spaces
- road widening and re-asphalting
- reconstruction of kerb and channel
- a renewed underground drainage system
- landscaping, including new trees
- ·new street furnishings, including seats
- stormwater harvesting.
These features will help the precinct’s retailers capitalise on their proximity to the busy Dalton Road and Thomastown train station and the east-west bus route.
The project is expected to begin in early 2026 and continue for about 12 months. Works will be staged to minimise disruption to businesses and customers. All businesses will remain open for the duration of the works.
Council is contributing $1.3 million towards the project, which is supported by $2.8 million from the Australian Government’s Thriving Suburbs Fund and $100,000 from the Transport Accident Commission.
Quotes attributable to City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox:
“Our plan to revitalise The Boulevard in Thomastown will breathe new life into the shopping precinct and help to attract new businesses and new clientele to the area,” he said.
“Council is committed to supporting local businesses to thrive and this project continues our investment through the Town Centre Revitalisation Program.
“The revitalisation program is a key part of the Whittlesea 2040 vision of developing a strong local economy by promoting investment and employment opportunities.
“I would like to thank the Australian Government for the $2.8 million grant from its Thriving Suburbs Fund and the Transport Accident Commission for its contribution of $100,000.”