Fairlea Road Fly Fishing Precinct: A Legacy in the Making
… from Chris Gray
For more than seventy years the Fairlea Road casting pool at Yarra Bend has been a quiet cornerstone of Melbourne’s fly fishing life. Nestled in the heart of Fairfield, it has been the place where generations first took a fly rod in hand, where competitors honed their accuracy, and where countless anglers simply found joy in the rhythm of the cast.
If you ask members of the many clubs who use the facility, almost everyone has a story that begins there. The pool has witnessed beginners unravelling their first clumsy loops, experienced casters pushing the limits of distance and finesse, and national champions preparing for competitions at home and abroad. It is both training ground and sanctuary, equally suited to a casual Sunday practice as it is to the fine art of competition casting.
Now, this much-loved pool is poised to anchor something even greater:
The Fairlea Road Fly Fishing Centre.
A Shared Vision
The Fly Fishing Centre has been a shared vision within the fly fishing community, including the VFFA and Red Tag, for over twenty years, with ongoing lobbying from both clubs to establish a permanent home for our sport. The precinct master plan is a culmination of many years of effort by a number of passionate individuals who have worked together to finally bring the concept to life.
Led by the pool’s custodians, the Red Tag Fly Fishers, the concept has been welcomed by the VFFA as well as the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), Mending Casts, the Australian Casting Federation, Fly Fishers Australia (Victorian Chapter), and more than 15 clubs and organisations across the state. It has also won the support of state and federal MPs, alongside the voices of individual anglers who see the precinct as a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Earlier this year Red Tag received funding to produce a master plan to upgrade the casting pool and to construct a fly fishing and casting pavilion. VFFA has been invited to participate, with past president Chris Gray representing the Association on the project.
At its heart, the project carries a simple but powerful vision: to create a welcoming home for fly fishers of every level. The Centre will upgrade the casting pool with improved access and new pathways, while the addition of lighting will extend practice into the evenings. A new pavilion and community spaces are planned, providing a hub for club gatherings, workshops, and social events.
Just as importantly, the precinct will tell the story of fly fishing in Australia. Heritage and interpretive elements are being designed to celebrate the history of the sport and the contributions of the mentors, innovators, and clubs that shaped it. In this way, the project isn’t just about bricks and mortar – it’s about continuity, connection, and legacy.
Beyond Facilities
When anglers talk about the Fairlea Road precinct they rarely dwell on infrastructure alone. Instead, they speak about the spirit of the place and the memories formed there. That spirit is at the centre of the redevelopment.
The aim is not only to provide modern amenities, but to also foster an environment where the next generation of anglers can discover fly fishing. A child learning his or her first roll cast, a teenager preparing for a junior competition, or an adult reconnecting with the sport after years away – each will find a place at Fairlea Road.
It will also be a site where national competitors can refine their skills against world-class standards. With enhancements to the casting layout, improved pool conditions, and the capacity to host events the Centre has the potential to stage state and national championships. Imagine the thrill of Melbourne anglers welcoming competitors from across the country to a precinct that reflects the sport at its best.
The Master Plan
To bring this vision to life, the precinct team has engaged experienced architects to guide the design process. Their task is to shape a facility that balances tradition with modern needs – one that sits lightly within the natural setting of Yarra Bend while serving the practical requirements of clubs, visitors, and competitors.
Detailed investigations are already underway, including studies of the site’s cultural heritage, soils, and services. Early block diagrams and layout options are being prepared, these exploring the most effective ways to position the pavilion, improve access, and enhance the casting pool environment.
The design process is being informed by a Precinct Design Advisory Group, which includes some of Australia’s most respected fly fishers, including Peter Morse, Peter Hayes, James Norney and Brian Henderson. Their insights are helping shape technical details such as pool filtration, competitive casting layouts, lighting design, and even the inclusion of a simulated stream feature.
What the Upgrade Will Deliver
So what exactly will the new precinct include?
• Upgraded Casting Pool – enhanced for practice and competition, with a modern filtration system and reconfigured layouts.
• Lighting for Evening Use – enabling practice and competition under lights.
• Improved Pathways and Universal Access – paving and pathways for all-abilities access.
• Pavilion and Community Hub – flexible spaces for clubs, education, and events, plus exhibition areas showcasing fly fishing’s history and artistry.
• Simulated Stream Feature – demonstration stream for training and teaching.
• Heritage and Interpretive Displays – celebrating Australia’s fly fishing story and honouring the people who shaped it.
Taken together, these upgrades will transform Fairlea Road into a facility that serves every corner of the fly fishing community – from beginners taking their first cast, to seasoned competitors preparing for national and international events.
A Precinct Within a Park
The redevelopment of the casting pool does not stand in isolation. It forms part of a broader program of parkland improvements at the site. The forthcoming North-East Link cycleway will run along the southern boundary, while the renewal of nearby ovals and the conclusion of adjacent construction work create a natural moment for revitalisation.
The precinct team is working closely with Yarra City Council, Parks Victoria and local organisations to align these efforts. The goal is to ensure that the fly fishing centre not only benefits anglers but also complements the wider community’s use of the park. Families, cyclists, walkers, and sports clubs will all share in the improvements, reinforcing the precinct as a vibrant public space.
Community and Collaboration
From the outset, the Fairlea Road project has been shaped by collaboration. A survey was circulated to gather feedback from anglers and the broader community, ensuring that design choices will reflect real needs. Regular stakeholder briefings have begun, keeping clubs and individuals informed and engaged.
The project is also drawing on the creativity of RMIT vocational students, who are contributing design ideas and exploring ways to enhance the precinct. Their work not only injects fresh thinking into the process but also connects a new generation of designers with the traditions of fly fishing.
Financially, the project has been supported through the Victorian Fisheries Recreational Fishing Grants Program, a recognition of its importance to the angling community. The grant was celebrated with a ministerial visit to the casting pool, where the support of government and community alike was on full display.
strong>A Legacy for the Future/strong>
The Fairlea Road Fly Fishing Centre is more than an upgrade. It is a statement of confidence in the future of the sport.
It says to newcomers, you are welcome here. It says to veterans, your contributions are valued. And it says to the wider community, this is part of Victoria’s heritage, and it belongs to all of us.
For those who have spent time at the casting pool, the sense of continuity is profound. To see the site evolve from a modest practice facility into a state-class centre is to honour the vision of those who came before while providing a gift to those who will follow.
In years to come, when young anglers gather at Fairlea Road to cast a line, they will do so in a space that reflects decades of passion, persistence, and community spirit. They may not know every name or story that shaped the precinct, but they will feel the legacy in the very waters they cast upon.
And perhaps, like so many before them, they too will fall in love with the quiet rhythm of fly fishing, right there at the heart of Melbourne’s angling life.
VFFA with soon launch a page on their website with more information on project.