Background
Council resolved in September 2019 to develop a new aquatic and wellbeing centre at Mills Reserve to replace the existing Dandenong Oasis, which is more than 40 years old and no longer meeting the needs of the community.
This major infrastructure project is a key recommendation from Council’s Aquatic Strategy, which is based on the vision to get “more people, more active, more often”.
The Aquatic Strategy identified Oasis Aquatics and Wellbeing as an indoor multi-purpose facility that will complement the nearby Noble Park Aquatic Centre (NPAC) and have a targeted focus on allied health, passive activity, education, fitness and wellness.
The centre is planned to incorporate traditional aquatic and leisure facility components, but with an enhanced focus on health and wellbeing, in response to identified community need.
Council appointed a design team led by CO-OP Studio in April 2021 to design the new centre. The design process drew on previous planning and consultation undertaken as part of the Aquatic Strategy which involved more than 1570 engagements/community responses.
The design process was guided by the following guiding principles:
- Enhancing community health and wellbeing
- Maximising equity and access
- Facilitating social connections
- Providing high quality facilities
- Creating sustainable outcomes
Additional community consultation was undertaken in July/August 2021 to seek resident’s views about how to make the new Centre welcoming and accessible to people of all ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds. A total of 444 engagements/responses were recorded which demonstrated strong support for the project and helped to inform the draft design.
The draft design was then placed on public exhibition in November/December 2021 to provide a further opportunity for community feedback. A total of 136 engagements/responses were received which reinforced the demand, direction and proposed design for the new centre.
In mid-2024, Council began a procurement process for the construction of the facility. It undertook an Expression of Interest and shortlisted companies to participate in a tender process.
On Tuesday 11 March 2025 Council announced that ADCO Constructions Pty Ltd had been confirmed as the contracted builder to deliver the highly anticipated Oasis Aquatics and Wellbeing at Mills Reserve.
This endorsement of ADCO Constructions Pty Ltd followed a competitive and rigorous tender process.
