Landscape Visual Impact Assessment

VICTORIA MURRAY
FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION
PROJECT

Client

Victorian State Government

Role

3D Artist / Visualisation Consultant

Scale

14,000 ha across 9 sites

Year

2021–2022

3ds Max Photoshop InDesign V-Ray Global Mapper

Project Overview

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP) comprises 14,000 hectares of revived high-value wetlands and flood-dependent forests. The project will enable land and water managers to safely deliver environmental water to nine distinct locations along the Murray River, completing a critical landscape-scale intervention under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan obligations.

The targeted watering infrastructure will accommodate managed seasonal flood events, mimicking natural conditions while using significantly less water to support thousands of native trees, waterbirds, and threatened species.

Construction of Victoria's largest coordinated environmental improvement program will involve removing historic flow blockages and building discrete, landscape-blending infrastructure. The current master design across the nine sites features multiple large and small regulators — including the major Berribee Regulator — plus kilometres of low-profile containment banks, concrete drop structures, specialised fishways, pump hardstands, and extensive access track upgrades.

PROJECT AREAS

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Selected photomontages produced across all nine project sites for the planning approvals process.

Burra Creek — Regulator

Burra Creek — Existing
Burra Creek — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Vinifera — Regulator

Vinifera — Existing
Vinifera — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Belsar — Regulator

Belsar — Existing
Belsar — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Guttrum — Regulator

Guttrum — Existing
Guttrum — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Hattah Lakes — Regulator

Hattah — Existing
Hattah — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Client Engagement Journey

HOW THE WORK EVOLVED

Client engagement was initially scoped for Photomontages to support the approvals process across all nine sites.

After viewpoint review, several key elements were identified across the project areas requiring visual treatment.

Field photography was taken across identified viewpoints, following Victorian guidelines for Photomontage.

Client provided a mixture of 2D and 3D CAD project data — the project was in a state of constant flux throughout delivery.

Managed costing, data processing and delivery across the team as scope and design continued to evolve throughout the engagement.

Sourced terrain and aerial data using DEM data from ELVIS. Developed a full terrain 3D model and integrated the design models across multiple sites.

Worked closely with the client to help explain their own design to them — the 3D model provided clarity that the 2D drawings alone could not.

Generated the selected photomontages for the approvals process across the nine sites.

Re-engaged after delivery to discuss further options with the model. Client requested a full fly-through video matching the style of previous visualisation deliverables.

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Gunbower — Regulator

Gunbower — Existing
Gunbower — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Lindsay Island — Regulator

Lindsay — Existing
Lindsay — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Lindsay Island — Flood Gates

Lindsay Flood Gates — Existing
Lindsay Flood Gates — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Stakeholder Engagement Imagery

PHOTOMONTAGE VIEWPOINTS

Wallpolla Island — Regulator

Wallpolla — Existing
Wallpolla — Proposed
ExistingProposed ← Drag to compare →

Project in the Media

FURTHER READING

Next project

STRATFORD PUMPED HYDRO