Melbourne Docklands
Encyclopedia
Docklands is an inner city
suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
occupying an area extending up to 2 km west of and adjacent to Melbourne's Central Business District
(CBD). Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne
. Demographically, Docklands has a population, according to the 2006 Census, of 3,939.
It is bounded by Spencer Street
, Wurundjeri Way and Charles Grimes Bridge
to the east, CityLink
to the west and Lorimer Street across the Yarra
to the south and is a primarily waterfront area centred around the banks of the Yarra River
.
Contemporary Docklands is the product of an ongoing urban renewal
project to extend the area of the CBD
(excluding Southbank
and St Kilda Road) by over a third when completed around 2015. It is now home to several of Melbourne
's modern landmarks including Etihad Stadium, Southern Cross Station
and The Southern Star.
From the 1880s, the former swamp west of Melbourne became heavily used as a dock
with an extensive network of wharf
s, heavy rail infrastructure and light industry. However following the containerisation of shipping traffic it fell into disuse and by the 1990s was virtually abandoned, becoming notable for an underground rave
dance scene, a dance culture which survives through popular organised events held at Docklands Stadium.
Docklands Stadium (first known as Colonial Stadium) was built in 1996 as a centrepiece to kick-start developer interest in Docklands as a viable renewal area. Urban renewal
began in earnest 2000 with several independent privately developed areas overseen by VicUrban
, an agency of the State government of Victoria. The brief for the master plan was for wide open water promenades and road boulevards with contributions of landscaping and public art
commissions to be made by each developer and construction was to adhere to strict milestones. VicUrban
promotes its vision of Docklands as being a major tourist attraction
and projected over 20 million visitors a year and a future (2015) residential population of over 20,000.
A handful of significant buildings were retained, generally due to their association with the area's industrial and maritime history. Most of these heritage buildings are intended for adaptive reuse
and integrated with new facilities.
Docklands has become a sought-after business address, attracting the national headquarters of National Australia Bank
, ANZ, Medibank Private
, Bureau of Meteorology
, Myer
, National Foods
as well as the regional headquarters for AXA Asia Pacific, Ericsson
and Bendigo Bank
. The business park
model of medium-rise office
buildings combined with transport and proximity to city centre is seen by many in the real estate industry to be one of the reasons behind the success of the Docklands office market.
Docklands is also the home to a number of water sports including Dragon Boat
racing.
While still incomplete, Docklands developer-centric planning has been widely criticised and many Melbourne
politicians and media commentators lament its lack of green open space, pedestrian
activity, transport links and culture.
The name "Docklands" is contrived from the word "dock" (in reference to the area's maritime history) and "land", with the name directly inspired by the name of the contemporary development in England, London Docklands.
Before the foundation of Melbourne
, Docklands was a wetlands area consisting of a large salt lake (on the current site of Victoria Harbour
) and a giant swamp (known as West Melbourne Swamp) at the mouth of Moonee Ponds Creek
. It was one of the open hunting grounds of the Wurundjeri
people who created middens around the edges of the lake.
At Melbourne's foundation, John Batman
set up his home on Batman's Hill
at Docklands, marking the westernmost point of the settlement. However the rest of the area remained largely unused for decades.
The advent of rail infrastructure in the late 1860s saw the city's industry gradually expand into the area.
The earliest extensive plans to develop the area in the 1870s when a plan was prepared to extend the Hoddle Grid
westward, following the curve of the Yarra River
and effectively doubling its size. The plan proposed several gridlike blocks with an ornamental public garden and lake in the shape of the United Kingdom
occupying the site of the salt lake. However expansion of the grid westward was abandoned in favour of a northward extension.
and this resulted in the widening of the river for shipping and the creation of a new Victoria Dock
(the name was previously used by one of the docks at Queensbridge as early as the 1850s). The dock was lined with wharves and light industry grew around the nearby western rail yards of Spencer Street railway station (now Southern Cross railway station) which were used for freighting the goods inland.
During the wars, Victoria Dock was used as the main port for naval vessels and most of the Victorian troops returned from both wars to the docks.
By the 1920s, with shipping moved from the Yarra
turning basin at Queensbridge, Victoria Dock and surrounding port had become Melbourne's busiest.
industry in the 1950s and 60s, the docks
along the Yarra River
east of the modern Bolte Bridge
, and within Victoria Harbour
immediately to the west of the central business district
, became inadequate for the new container ship
s.
The creation of Appleton Dock and Swanston Dock in an area west of the Moonee Ponds Creek now known as West Melbourne
, closer to the mouth of the Yarra, became the focus of container shipping effectively rendering a vast amount of vacant inner-city land to the immediate west of Melbourne's CBD redundant.
The size of the Melbourne Docklands area meant that political influences were inescapable. The Docklands project was on top of the government's agenda, however, due to the poor condition of the wharf infrastructure, much investment was required to initiate the project which the government at the time could not afford. Nevertheless, the Docklands project stayed on the drawing board, but with little progress. In 1990, the Docklands Task Force was established to devise an infrastructure strategy and conduct the public consultation process. The Committee For Melbourne
, a not for profit organisation that brought together the private sector of Melbourne
for a public good, was pursuing another planning strategy. It involved a bid for the Olympic Games
and another proposal to turn the Docklands into a technology city known as the Multifunction Polis
(MFP). Both bids fell through in late 1990. Nevertheless, the Committee For Melbourne
's approach became the preferred model in the proceeding strategies for the Docklands development, leading to the formation of the Docklands Authority in July 1991.
was elected Premier
. Kennett instituted many changes and turned the government's financial position around. He then embarked on a multitude of projects, which included Docklands. It was politically imperative to get the project rolling, the Docklands Authority opted for the concept of having leaving all design and funding of infrastructure to the developers. The development industry supported this, and claimed that the project would be more efficient. Docklands was divided into sections or precincts which were to be tendered to private companies to be developed.
May 1996 saw the relaunch of the tender process. Few restrictions were applied to the bids from developers, and as the vision was to make Docklands 'Melbourne's Millennium Mark', the key criterion for a successful bid was to get projects going by 2000. It did not take long for the realisation that the lack of government coordination in infrastructure planning would create problems. Developers would not invest into public infrastructure where benefits would flow on to an adjacent property. This was corrected by allowing developers to negotiate for infrastructure funding with the government. The Docklands Village precinct was planned for a residential and commercial mixed development, but, in late 1996, that plan was scrapped when it was announced a private football stadium would be built on the site. The site was chosen for its easy access to the then Spencer Street Station (now Southern Cross Station), and it was intended to be an anchor for the entire project and provide for a clear signal to the long awaited start of the Docklands project. However, this would create a huge barrier between the city and Docklands.
In 1989, several architectural firms were invited to discuss how the area could best serve the Melbourne
public.
The commission to design the overall plan was granted to Ashton Raggatt McDougall
by the Docklands Authority.
During 1998 and 1999, with the exception of Yarra Waters (later Yarra's Edge) bid by Mirvac, bid for every other precinct fell through, the reasons are often unclear due to secrecy provisions. and a change of government occurred.
dance scene.
The site was host to a number of dance
parties hosted by Future Entertainment
and Hardware Corporation during the 1990s. DJs and performers such as Paul van Dyk
, Carl Cox
, Jeff Mills
, Frankie Knuckles
, David Morales
, Marshall Jefferson
and BT headlined these events. The biggest event hosted, in terms of attendance, was the "Welcome 2000" New Year's Eve dance party hosted on 31 December 1999.
released a new tender for Docklands Development via Vic Urban (a rebranded Docklands Authority).
Through the tendering process for the sites, the business park was split once more and awarded to two consortia, becoming Entertainment City (renamed Paramount Studios) - a movie theme park with film studios, to be developed by a Viacom
led consortium, and Yarra Nova (which later evolved into NewQuay
) to the MAB Corporation
consortium. The Paramount Studios proposal fell through, and the site was put to tender once more, as Studio City, and later awarded as two parts, becoming what is now the Central City Studios and Waterfront City.
Yarra Waters/Yarra Quays was awarded to Mirvac later becoming Yarra's Edge.
The technology park was renamed Commonwealth Technology Port (or Comtech Port) before finally becoming Digital Harbour.
A number of other sites also encountered false starts, with Victoria Harbour originally being awarded to Walker Corporation, before being put out to tender again and finally being awarded to Lend Lease Group in April 2001. The Batman's Hill precinct was originally awarded to Bruno Grollo
's Grocon
, which had plans for what would have been the world's tallest building rising 560 m, dubbed Grollo Tower
and featuring a mix of office, apartment, hotel and retail. This deal also fell through with the site being subdivided into 15 parcels as well as Rail Goods Shed No.2.
local government authority however VicUrban
retains planning authority until 2010.
, former railway offices (adaptively reused as the "Grand Hotel" apartments), the railway goods sheds (adaptively reused as an indoor market), The Mission to Seafarers building, Victoria Dock and Central Pier, Queens Warehouse (adaptively reused as a vintage car museum), Docklands park gantry crane
and a small number of warehouses and container sheds.
, which was once situated within the area.
It is a mixed-use precinct including commercial and retail space, entertainment, hotels, residential sections, restaurants, cultural sites and educational institutions as well as the historic Rail Goods Shed No. 2, which was split in half to allow for the extension of Collins Street
into Docklands, providing businesses with an address that is considered to be prestigious. The area is 100,000 square metres.
More than half the precinct is already built, committed or under construction, and includes the Watergate/Site One apartment and small office complex, 700 Collins Street (home to the Bureau of Meteorology
and Medibank Private
), 750 Collins Street (the headquarters of AXA Asia Pacific), Kangan Institute's Automotive Centre for Excellence (ACE) and the Fox Classic Car Museum. 717 Bourke Street (consisting of a 294 room Travelodge
Hotel and 737 Bourke Street (home to National Foods).
On 2 August 2007, it was reported that a $1.5 billion scheme had been earmarked for Collins Street by Middle Eastern investment company Sama Dubai
, to be designed by architect Zaha Hadid
and Melbourne
firm Ashton Raggatt McDougall
. The plan would consist of four buildings, including Docklands' tallest tower as well as civic spaces spanning two sites to be built on decking over Wurundjeri Way. The proposed tower will be between 50 to 60 storeys tall but did not proceed and VicUrban put the site back out to tender in early 2011.
The offices of Fairfax Media
are at 643 Collins Street. The new building, known as Media House, comprises 16,000 m2 of office space accommodating 1,400 staff, on decking over railway lines opposite Southern Cross Station
. The $110 million eight-storey facility was designed by architects Bates Smart
to achieve a 5-star Green Star rating, and will feature a news ticker, outdoor screen and grassy plaza. It iwas developed by Grocon
in 2009.
Collins Square is the outcome of a split of precincts in the tender process in 2000 which resulted in Goods Shed South, 735 Collins Street and Sites 4a-4f originally awarded to a Kuok Group and Walker Corporation JV.
A masterplan prepared by Marchese + Partners in conjunction with Bligh Voller Nield
architects was approved in early 2002, it included a 60 storey Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
tower with a Collins Street address and a mix of commercial and residential towers, as well as the refurbishment of the southern half of Goods Shed No. 2 into a night market and food hall.
In mid 2007, a new, more commercially orientated masterplan was prepared by Bates Smart
. In it a new 38 storey office tower replaced the Shangri La hotel on Collins Street and the number of streets is reduced from four to three, replaced by pedestrian thoroughfares. Overall there will now be five office buildings, ranging in height from 155m (to roof) to 36 m and the refurbishment of the Goods Shed with a 'lantern' structure addressing Collins Street. The entire precinct is aiming for a 5 Star Green Star rating.
On 17 December 2007, Walker Corporation launched the next phase of construction, beginning with demolition works and site preparation.
The Stadium precinct, which sits on the eastern edge of Docklands, consists of Etihad Stadium, Seven Network
's Melbourne digital broadcasting
centre, Victoria Point
, Bendigo Bank
offices, and Quest serviced apartments. It is linked to Southern Cross Station
and the Melbourne CBD by the Bourke Street pedestrian bridge, built over railway lines.
During the 2000 Docklands development tender process, the stadium precinct was divided into four corners, the North West Stadium Precinct (NWSP), North East Stadium Precinct (NESP), North East Stadium Precinct (NESP) and South West Stadium Precinct (SWSP). The NWSP was awarded to Channel 7
/Pacific Holdings. The NESP was awarded to Pan Urban. The SWSP was awarded to Devine Limited/RIA Property Group and the SESP - Bourke Junction Consortium (ISPT, CBUS Property and EPC Partners).
Etihad Stadium (originally Colonial Stadium) was opened in March 2000. The ability for the structure to have both open and closed roof configurations has seen it host many sports events, including Australian Rules Football
, soccer
, cricket
and rugby
as well as concerts. The stadium complex is currently managed by Stadium Operations Ltd, which is owned by the Seven Network
, with ownership transferring to the Australian Football League
in 2025.
Developer Pan Urban has announced plans for a $300 million twin-tower apartment development known as Lacrosse Docklands for the NESP with the towers set to rise 21 and 18 storeys respectively, above the stadium concourse, with restaurants and bars opening out on to the concourse, forming a retail plaza.
Plans for the site to be known as Bourke Junction include office towers of 29 and 21 storeys on the north-eastern and south-western corners of the SESP site, as well as three lower-rise buildings housing a 250 room hotel, a pub, medical centre, retail facilities, a business club and a two-level gymnasium.
Digital Harbour is a waterfront has an area of 44,000 square metres, with development intended to expand to include 220,000 square metres of commercial, residential, SOHO
units and retail space. At present only three buildings have been completed; 1010 LaTrobe Street/Port 1010 (home to VicTrack
, Australian Customs Service
), and the Innovation Building (home of the Telstra
Learning Academy and Innovation Centre). A third building, Life.lab currently resides at 198 Harbour Esplanade, while a fourth, 1000 LaTrobe Street, is expected to commence shortly.
Port 1010 received the Commercial Architecture Award at the 2007 Victorian Architecture Awards
held on Friday 13 July.
The Digital Harbour Business Association was launched in 2011, this is a group of businesses established in the Digital Harbour precinct in the Docklands. The precinct is a destination for IT, Media and other related businesses. The aim of the Association is to promote the businesses within Digital Harbour to the wider Docklands Community and Melbourne CBD.
and Bourke Street
to meet at the water's edge. It has an area of 280,000 square metres with 3.7 kilometres of waterfront. The 12-year construction plans for Victoria Harbour include residential apartments, commercial office space, retail space, community facilities and the development of public spaces such as Grand Plaza, Harbour Esplanade, Docklands Park and Central Pier, Melbourne.
One of the first completed office buildings in the precinct was the colourful National Australia Bank
headquarters, located at 800 Bourke Street, which accommodates approximately 3,600 staff. The building has large open floor plates, an atria, a campus-style workplace and a four-star energy rating.
Almost 1,000 Ericsson
employees also call Victoria Harbour home, with the company's new Melbourne offices at 818 Bourke Street. Ericsson House sits on the water's edge next door to National Australia Bank
HQ and Dock 5 apartments
The first residential tower to be built at Victoria Harbour was Dock 5. Rising 30 storeys, it was designed by award-winning Melbourne firm John Wardle Architects
and HASSELL
, derives its name from its location which was known as Dock 5.
The Gauge, at 825 Bourke Street will house the new offices of developer Lend Lease and Fujitsu
. The eight-storey building was designed to achieve a six-star energy rating, becoming the second building in Docklands to do so.
A Safeway
supermarket opened in Merchant Street (opposite The Gauge) in 2008 , along with a number of other retail tenancies at street level including an optometry practice called Kaleyedoscope, Australia Post
, a childcare centre, and offices above.
In 2009 the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ)'s new world headquarters at 833 Collins Street have been completed. The office complex includes shops, car parking facilities and a YMCA
. It enables 6,500 ANZ staff to work in one integrated area. The new ANZ headquarters designed by HASSELL, developed by Lend Lease, was expected to become the largest office complex in Australia. Construction commenced in late 2006 with completion expected in 2009. It has been designed to achieve a six-star energy rating.
In 2007, Myer
announced that it had chosen Victoria Harbour as the location for its new Corporate Store Support Offices. The new offices are being built at 800 Collins Street opposite ANZ.
NewQuay, opened in 2002 was one of the first residential and commercial developments in Docklands. It currently has five residential towers and a podium building developed by MAB Corporation
. The flagship building Palladio - which is shaped like the prow of a ship - is named after Italian architect Andrea Palladio
. The podium building, Sant'Elia is named after another Italian architect Antonio Sant'Elia
. The rest are named after Australian artists: Nolan (Sidney Nolan
), Arkley (Howard Arkley
), Boyd (Arthur Boyd
), and Conder (Charles Conder
).
Aquavista, completed in May 2007, is a strata office development and the first commercial building to be completed in NewQuay as part of the HQ NewQuay development. Another, the seven-storey 370 Docklands Drive is currently under construction with a further two buildings - Lots 5 & 9 - currently under design development.
On 17 October 2007, MAB Corporation
launched 'The Avenues at NewQuay' development, consisting of three-storey townhouse residences, with park and waterfront frontages, to be built as part of NewQuay's western precinct. The development is being designed by Plus Architecture.
The ground level podiums contain a commercial precinct with a variety of restaurants and cafes including Italian
, Indian
, Middle Eastern
, Cantonese
, Moroccan, Cambodian and Modern Australian cuisines.
1.3 billion, and cover 0.15 km2.
Yarra's Edge was one of the first developments in the Docklands, with construction of Tower 1 commencing in 2000. It is divided into 3 smaller precincts:
The Marina Precinct: Comprising the marina and boardwalk with six residential towers ranging in height from 25 to 47 storeys
The Park Precinct: Comprising Point Park and two residential towers
The River Precinct: Comprising a mix of lower level less, intense terrace-style developments and three high-rise towers towards the Bolte Bridge
.
To date only five apartment towers have been completed as well as the RekDek (located in the podium of Tower 1 and featuring a gymnasium and 25 metre lap pool), a public promenade, Point Park (with an outlook towards the Melbourne CBD and mix of restaurants, cafes and retail including a day spa and convenience store. Yarra's Edge also has a 175-berth marina
, giving boat owners previously unavailable proximity to Crown Casino
and the city.
Webb Bridge is an award winning bridge designed by Denton Corker Marshall
in collaboration with artist Robert Owen
, forming a cycling and pedestrian link to the main part of Docklands through Docklands Park. It is the conversion of the former Webb Bridge rail link. The bridge is near the Charles Grimes Bridge
over the Yarra
.
Waterfront City is a shopping and entertainment area that includes The Southern Star Ferris wheel
, Icehouse
ice sports and entertainment centre, and numerous shops and cafes which are centred around this area.
The precinct on features an integration of retail, waterfront entertainment, tourism, dining, commercial and urban community. It has an area of 193,000 square metres.
Stage One was completed in December 2005 in time for the Melbourne Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race
in January – February 2006 and the Commonwealth Games
in March 2006. The precinct currently features a large circus tent which hosts the International Circus Spectacular as well as mosaic of local entertainers and a number of bronze statues of including Kylie Minogue
, John Farnham
, Graham Kennedy
, Nellie Melba
and Dame Edna.
Stage Two includes a public entertainment area incorporating The Southern Star, a 120 metres (393.7 ft) tall Ferris wheel
in the shape of a seven-pointed star and a brand direct outlet centre, Harbour Town. Harbour Town is home to Australia
's first Costco
Warehouse Store. Waterfront City also features restaurants, cafes, bars as well as cinemas, bowling and other family entertainment options.
and television
studio complex. The site is located approximately 1.5 km north west of the Central Business District. It has an area of 60,000 square metres and currently consists of five film and television sound stages.
The first major contract for the new studios was the American
film Ghost Rider
in 2005; with a budget of nearly $120 million, at the time it was the biggest feature film to be made in Victoria
and features scenes involving Melbourne
landmarks. Since then the studios have housed international productions.
In 2009 the Government of Victoria, together with the Studios, undertook the Future Directions project. This has resulted in the State Government committing the Studios to focus on both the international and domestic film and television industries. Further developments to the infrastructure of the site are planned for 2010, including a refurbishment of Stage 5 as a television studio and redevelopment to the workshop.
Long term plans for the Studios include a large sound stage, mess hall, workshop and retail spaces, production offices, and permanent commercial tenancies.
On 11 October 2010 the studios were re-branded as Docklands Studios Melbourne, formally adopting the name by which the studios were commonly known.
Docklands has access to road transport
, rail transport
and water transport.
Docklands Highway
and Wurundjeri Way are the main roads going through Docklands. These connect to the nearby Westgate Freeway on the southern end. Links to the CBD
include extensions from Flinders Street, Collins Street and Latrobe Street.
Southern Cross Station
, at the eastern edge is the only passenger railway station, although it is also the major interchange for metropolitan and intercity rail. Much of Docklands area remains covered by rail yard
s previously used for freight transport and rolling stock which are being progressively reclaimed or built over.
Tram
s in Docklands include the free City Circle Tram, along Docklands Drive and to and from Waterfront City. As Docklands has developed, tram routes have been extended and rerouted into the area. Route 70
also runs to Waterfront City. Route 48
runs along Collins Street to Victoria Harbour. Route 30
enters Docklands via Latrobe Street, terminating at the north end of Harbour Esplanade. Route 86
runs along Latrobe Street and Docklands Drive, terminating at Waterfront City.
Docklands also includes major pedestrian links with a concourse extending from Bourke Street and extensive promenades along the waterfront including the wide Harbour Esplanade.
Several offroad bicycle paths run through Docklands, all of which connect through the central spine of Webb Bridge, Docklands park and Harbour Esplanade, connecting Melbourne City Centre to the inner western suburbs and the Capital City Trail
.
There are also three ferry terminals which connect Docklands to the Melbourne City Centre and inner bayside suburbs. One at Victoria Harbour, one at New Quay and one at Yarra's Edge.
first proposed extending Route 86
from the Docklands along Footscray Road to Footscray station in 2004. The proposal was to be grade separated along almost the entire length of Footscray Road.
The extension became part of the official Inner Melbourne Action Plan adopted by the Cities of Melbourne, Stonnington, Port Phillip and Yarra in December 2005 as a "long term" goal.
Since 2007 plans have progressed, with the City of Melbourne attempting to source funding.
In response to the Eddington Plan in July 2008, the City of Melbourne included a request for consideration as a key East-West transport solution.
The Victorian Greens
also included the route in its 'The People Plan' election proposal.
However the proposal it suffered a setback in late 2008 when it met State Government opposition. The Department of Infrastructure recommended the removal of the Footscray Road reservation to reduce the cost of constructing a overpass
to ease congestion on the CityLink freeway off-ramp. The State Government's plan was rejected by the City of Melbourne who passed the flyover project in council on the provision that it would retain the light-rail reservation, at additional State Government expense whilst also adding to the future cost of the tram link.
In 2009, there were just under 10,000 working mostly in office and retail industries.
The Docklands Community News' first edition was published in 2003, and both DCN & 3008 Docklands Magazine have grown with the Docklands precincts' population. Both publications are printed and distributed to all businesses and residences within Docklands, which allows for a regular readership of over 10,000. The DCN paper informs the community of relevant news relating to Docklands, also supplying residents, business owners and workers with a platform for community discussion.
3008 Docklands Magazine also covers all matters relating to the Docklands community and businesses but also covers events and news pertaining to Melbourne City and the surrounding suburbs as Docklands is under the jurisdiction of the City of Melbourne
. 3008 Docklands Magazine is a glossy, well produced, stylish publication which is both informative and interesting and has been well received by its reader base since its first issue back in May 2006. 3008 Docklands Magazine has a significant online following.
In 1999, Melbourne City Council Director of Projects criticised the disconnection of the precinct to the CBD, claiming that the lack of transport links, particularly pedestrian meant Docklands was "seriously flawed".
The problem was exacerbated in 2005, when the pedestrian link between Lonsdale Street
and Docklands proposed in 2001 was cut from the final design design of Southern Cross Station
development due to budget blowouts.
In 2006, Royce Millar of The Age
referred to it as a "wasted opportunity".
In 2008, the City of Melbourne
released a report which criticised Docklands lack of transport and wind tunnel
effect, lack of green spaces and community facilities.
In 2009, Neil Mitchell wrote for The Age
declaring Docklands as a planning "dud". The Lord Mayor
Robert Doyle
has been openly critical of Docklands, claiming in 2009 that it lacks any form of "social glue".
However despite the local criticism in 2009, Sydney
travel writer Mal Chenu described Melbourne Docklands as "the envy of Sydneysiders".
In 2010, VicUrban
's general manager
David Young acknowledged that Harbour Esplanade "doesn't stack up". Kim Dovey
, professor of architecture and design at the University of Melbourne
added that Harbour Esplanade was "too big" and claimed that Docklands was "so badly done" that it required a "major rethink".
.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
suburb in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
occupying an area extending up to 2 km west of and adjacent to Melbourne's Central Business District
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
(CBD). Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
. Demographically, Docklands has a population, according to the 2006 Census, of 3,939.
It is bounded by Spencer Street
Spencer Street, Melbourne
Spencer Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is named for John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
, Wurundjeri Way and Charles Grimes Bridge
Charles Grimes Bridge
The Charles Grimes Bridge is a twin road bridge that carries the Docklands Highway over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was named after New South Wales surveyor general Charles Grimes, who was the first European to see the Yarra River....
to the east, CityLink
CityLink
CityLink is a system of tolled urban Highways in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two existing freeways and construct two new Toll roads—labelled the Western and Southern Links—directly linking a number of existing freeways to...
to the west and Lorimer Street across the Yarra
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
to the south and is a primarily waterfront area centred around the banks of the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
.
Contemporary Docklands is the product of an ongoing urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
project to extend the area of the CBD
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
(excluding Southbank
Southbank, Victoria
Southbank is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located direct south of the Yarra River opposite Melbourne's Hoddle Grid. The northernmost area is considered part of the Central Business District and Central Activities District of the city. Its Local Government Area are the...
and St Kilda Road) by over a third when completed around 2015. It is now home to several of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's modern landmarks including Etihad Stadium, Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
and The Southern Star.
From the 1880s, the former swamp west of Melbourne became heavily used as a dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
with an extensive network of wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
s, heavy rail infrastructure and light industry. However following the containerisation of shipping traffic it fell into disuse and by the 1990s was virtually abandoned, becoming notable for an underground rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
dance scene, a dance culture which survives through popular organised events held at Docklands Stadium.
Docklands Stadium (first known as Colonial Stadium) was built in 1996 as a centrepiece to kick-start developer interest in Docklands as a viable renewal area. Urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
began in earnest 2000 with several independent privately developed areas overseen by VicUrban
VicUrban
VicUrban is an agency of the Victorian Government responsible for overseeing sustainable development in Victoria, Australia. It is intended to support planning policies such as Melbourne 2030 and acts as a land developer with a 12% market share in land sales...
, an agency of the State government of Victoria. The brief for the master plan was for wide open water promenades and road boulevards with contributions of landscaping and public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
commissions to be made by each developer and construction was to adhere to strict milestones. VicUrban
VicUrban
VicUrban is an agency of the Victorian Government responsible for overseeing sustainable development in Victoria, Australia. It is intended to support planning policies such as Melbourne 2030 and acts as a land developer with a 12% market share in land sales...
promotes its vision of Docklands as being a major tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
and projected over 20 million visitors a year and a future (2015) residential population of over 20,000.
A handful of significant buildings were retained, generally due to their association with the area's industrial and maritime history. Most of these heritage buildings are intended for adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
and integrated with new facilities.
Docklands has become a sought-after business address, attracting the national headquarters of National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
, ANZ, Medibank Private
Medibank Private
Medibank is an Australian government-owned private health insurer, established under the Fraser government in 1976 through the Health Insurance Commission . It is Australia's largest health insurance provider with 3.6 million members under two brands, and the only health insurer present in every...
, Bureau of Meteorology
Bureau of Meteorology
The Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...
, Myer
Myer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...
, National Foods
National Foods
National Foods is an Australian company and subsidiary of holding company Lion Nathan National Foods , wholly owned by the Japanese Kirin Holdings Company Limited, and consequently the Mitsubishi Group....
as well as the regional headquarters for AXA Asia Pacific, Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
and Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank is an Australian financial institution, operating primarily in retail banking. The company merged with Adelaide Bank in November 2007, with shareholders voting in March 2008 to change the merged company’s name to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited.Before the merger, Bendigo Bank...
. The business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
model of medium-rise office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
buildings combined with transport and proximity to city centre is seen by many in the real estate industry to be one of the reasons behind the success of the Docklands office market.
Docklands is also the home to a number of water sports including Dragon Boat
Dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
racing.
While still incomplete, Docklands developer-centric planning has been widely criticised and many Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
politicians and media commentators lament its lack of green open space, pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
activity, transport links and culture.
The name "Docklands" is contrived from the word "dock" (in reference to the area's maritime history) and "land", with the name directly inspired by the name of the contemporary development in England, London Docklands.
History
Foundation of Melbourne
The city of Melbourne was founded in 1835. The exact circumstances of the foundation of Melbourne, and the question of who should take credit, have long been matters of dispute.-Exploration:...
, Docklands was a wetlands area consisting of a large salt lake (on the current site of Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
) and a giant swamp (known as West Melbourne Swamp) at the mouth of Moonee Ponds Creek
Moonee Ponds Creek
The Moonee Ponds Creek is a creek and major tributary of the Yarra River running through urban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from northern to inner suburbs...
. It was one of the open hunting grounds of the Wurundjeri
Wurundjeri
The Wurundjeri are a people of the Indigenous Australian nation of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin alliance, who occupy the Birrarung Valley, its tributaries and the present location of Melbourne, Australia...
people who created middens around the edges of the lake.
At Melbourne's foundation, John Batman
John Batman
John Batman was an Australian grazier, businessman and explorer who is best known for his role in the founding of a settlement which became Melbourne and the colony of Victoria.-Life:...
set up his home on Batman's Hill
Batman's Hill
Batman's Hill in Melbourne, Australia was named for the Vandemonian adventurer and grazier John Batman. Now removed, the 18 metre high hill was located to the south of today's Collins Street and Southern Cross railway station, and is the site of a steel marker the same height as the original...
at Docklands, marking the westernmost point of the settlement. However the rest of the area remained largely unused for decades.
The advent of rail infrastructure in the late 1860s saw the city's industry gradually expand into the area.
The earliest extensive plans to develop the area in the 1870s when a plan was prepared to extend the Hoddle Grid
Hoddle Grid
The Hoddle Grid is the layout of the streets in the centre of the central business district of Melbourne. Named after its designer, Robert Hoddle, the Grid was laid out in 1837, and later extended...
westward, following the curve of the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
and effectively doubling its size. The plan proposed several gridlike blocks with an ornamental public garden and lake in the shape of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
occupying the site of the salt lake. However expansion of the grid westward was abandoned in favour of a northward extension.
1880s: Construction of a new Victoria Dock
A major engineering project began in the 1880s to reroute the course of the Yarra RiverYarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
and this resulted in the widening of the river for shipping and the creation of a new Victoria Dock
Victoria Dock
Victoria Dock may refer to:Australia* Victoria Dock * Victoria Dock - previously part of the Port of Melbourne, now part of the Melbourne Docklands redevelopment and called Victoria HarbourIndia* Victoria Dock, Mumbai-Bombay...
(the name was previously used by one of the docks at Queensbridge as early as the 1850s). The dock was lined with wharves and light industry grew around the nearby western rail yards of Spencer Street railway station (now Southern Cross railway station) which were used for freighting the goods inland.
Interwar Shipping era
By the 1920s, with shipping moved from the Yarra
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
turning basin at Queensbridge, Victoria Dock and surrounding port had become Melbourne's busiest.
Disuse
With the introduction of containerisation of Victoria's shippingShipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
industry in the 1950s and 60s, the docks
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
along the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
east of the modern Bolte Bridge
Bolte Bridge
The Bolte Bridge is a large twin Cantilever bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour in the Docklands precinct to the west of the Melbourne CBD...
, and within Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
immediately to the west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
, became inadequate for the new container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
s.
The creation of Appleton Dock and Swanston Dock in an area west of the Moonee Ponds Creek now known as West Melbourne
West Melbourne, Victoria
West Melbourne is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, closer to the mouth of the Yarra, became the focus of container shipping effectively rendering a vast amount of vacant inner-city land to the immediate west of Melbourne's CBD redundant.
Early renewal proposals
Docklands was seen as a large urban blight by the Cain state government. Property consultants JLW Advisory carried out the first market demand assessment of the site.The size of the Melbourne Docklands area meant that political influences were inescapable. The Docklands project was on top of the government's agenda, however, due to the poor condition of the wharf infrastructure, much investment was required to initiate the project which the government at the time could not afford. Nevertheless, the Docklands project stayed on the drawing board, but with little progress. In 1990, the Docklands Task Force was established to devise an infrastructure strategy and conduct the public consultation process. The Committee For Melbourne
Committee For Melbourne
The Committee for Melbourne is a non-profit organisation based in Melbourne, Australia, made up of businesses and organisation. The Committee was founded in 1985 to bring together businesses, academia and non-profit organisations to do activities, networking, and policy advice to government...
, a not for profit organisation that brought together the private sector of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
for a public good, was pursuing another planning strategy. It involved a bid for the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and another proposal to turn the Docklands into a technology city known as the Multifunction Polis
Multifunction Polis
The Multifunction Polis was a controversial proposal for a planned community in Australia first proposed in 1987 which was abandoned in 1998....
(MFP). Both bids fell through in late 1990. Nevertheless, the Committee For Melbourne
Committee For Melbourne
The Committee for Melbourne is a non-profit organisation based in Melbourne, Australia, made up of businesses and organisation. The Committee was founded in 1985 to bring together businesses, academia and non-profit organisations to do activities, networking, and policy advice to government...
's approach became the preferred model in the proceeding strategies for the Docklands development, leading to the formation of the Docklands Authority in July 1991.
Kennett Era - wheels set in motion
With a government running in budget deficits, not much progress was made on the Docklands project. In Late 1992, Jeff KennettJeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
was elected Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
. Kennett instituted many changes and turned the government's financial position around. He then embarked on a multitude of projects, which included Docklands. It was politically imperative to get the project rolling, the Docklands Authority opted for the concept of having leaving all design and funding of infrastructure to the developers. The development industry supported this, and claimed that the project would be more efficient. Docklands was divided into sections or precincts which were to be tendered to private companies to be developed.
May 1996 saw the relaunch of the tender process. Few restrictions were applied to the bids from developers, and as the vision was to make Docklands 'Melbourne's Millennium Mark', the key criterion for a successful bid was to get projects going by 2000. It did not take long for the realisation that the lack of government coordination in infrastructure planning would create problems. Developers would not invest into public infrastructure where benefits would flow on to an adjacent property. This was corrected by allowing developers to negotiate for infrastructure funding with the government. The Docklands Village precinct was planned for a residential and commercial mixed development, but, in late 1996, that plan was scrapped when it was announced a private football stadium would be built on the site. The site was chosen for its easy access to the then Spencer Street Station (now Southern Cross Station), and it was intended to be an anchor for the entire project and provide for a clear signal to the long awaited start of the Docklands project. However, this would create a huge barrier between the city and Docklands.
In 1989, several architectural firms were invited to discuss how the area could best serve the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
public.
The commission to design the overall plan was granted to Ashton Raggatt McDougall
Ashton Raggatt McDougall
Ashton Raggatt McDougall or ARM is a firm of architects based in Melbourne, Australia known for "architectural outspokenness". Founded in 1988, the firm has completed internationally renowned design work and the principals are Stephen Ashton, Howard Raggatt and Ian McDougall...
by the Docklands Authority.
During 1998 and 1999, with the exception of Yarra Waters (later Yarra's Edge) bid by Mirvac, bid for every other precinct fell through, the reasons are often unclear due to secrecy provisions. and a change of government occurred.
Docklands rave history
Docklands became notable during the 1990s for its underground raveRave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
dance scene.
The site was host to a number of dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
parties hosted by Future Entertainment
Future Entertainment
Future Entertainment is a Melbourne based, Australian electronic music youth focused entertainment company created by dance-music event organiser Mark James in 1993. Its objective was to present annual music festivals at Australian venues and landmarks...
and Hardware Corporation during the 1990s. DJs and performers such as Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
, Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
, Jeff Mills
Jeff Mills
Jeff Mills is an American techno DJ and producer.-Career:Starting in the early 1980s, Mills, using the name "The Wizard", was a recurring guest DJ on "The Electrifying Mojo" radio show on WJLB...
, Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer...
, David Morales
David Morales
David Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
, Marshall Jefferson
Marshall Jefferson
Marshall Jefferson is an American musician, working in house music, in particular, the subgenres of Chicago house and deep house.-Biography:...
and BT headlined these events. The biggest event hosted, in terms of attendance, was the "Welcome 2000" New Year's Eve dance party hosted on 31 December 1999.
Bracks Era: New Tender Process
In 2000, a newly elected government of premier Steve BracksSteve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
released a new tender for Docklands Development via Vic Urban (a rebranded Docklands Authority).
Through the tendering process for the sites, the business park was split once more and awarded to two consortia, becoming Entertainment City (renamed Paramount Studios) - a movie theme park with film studios, to be developed by a Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
led consortium, and Yarra Nova (which later evolved into NewQuay
Newquay
Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro....
) to the MAB Corporation
MAB Corporation
MAB Corporation is an integrated property company that creates, owns and manages property assets and built environments throughout Australia. The company was founded in 1995 by Michael Buxton, who began his career working in his family's business, and Andrew Buxton, who started out working in the...
consortium. The Paramount Studios proposal fell through, and the site was put to tender once more, as Studio City, and later awarded as two parts, becoming what is now the Central City Studios and Waterfront City.
Yarra Waters/Yarra Quays was awarded to Mirvac later becoming Yarra's Edge.
The technology park was renamed Commonwealth Technology Port (or Comtech Port) before finally becoming Digital Harbour.
A number of other sites also encountered false starts, with Victoria Harbour originally being awarded to Walker Corporation, before being put out to tender again and finally being awarded to Lend Lease Group in April 2001. The Batman's Hill precinct was originally awarded to Bruno Grollo
Bruno Grollo
Bruno Grollo is an Australian businessman.Bruno headed Australia's largest construction company, Grocon, whose credits include the construction of the tallest buildings in Melbourne, Rialto Towers and Eureka Tower. In 1999 his sons Adam and Daniel were instated as joint managing directors...
's Grocon
Grocon
Grocon Pty Ltd is a large Australian construction company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned by the Grollo family.-History:Grocon grew from a small family concreting business established by Luigi Grollo in the 1950s, to a major building company in the 1980s with his sons Rino & Bruno...
, which had plans for what would have been the world's tallest building rising 560 m, dubbed Grollo Tower
Grollo Tower
The Grollo Tower was a proposed skyscraper development in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Australia. The developer was Grocon, a construction company owned by the Grollo family....
and featuring a mix of office, apartment, hotel and retail. This deal also fell through with the site being subdivided into 15 parcels as well as Rail Goods Shed No.2.
- Site 1/753 Bourke StreetBourke Street, MelbourneBourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub...
- awarded to Pan Urban. - Site 2a/737 Bourke Street - Equiset.
- Site 2b/750 Collins StreetCollins Street, MelbourneCollins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
- GroconGroconGrocon Pty Ltd is a large Australian construction company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned by the Grollo family.-History:Grocon grew from a small family concreting business established by Luigi Grollo in the 1950s, to a major building company in the 1980s with his sons Rino & Bruno...
. - Goods Shed North/733 Bourke Street - Equiset/Pan Urban JV.
- Site 3a/700 Collins Street - Leighton HoldingsLeighton HoldingsLeighton Holdings is Australia's largest project development and contracting group. It is active in the telecommunications, engineering and infrastructure, building and property, mining and resources, and environmental services industries...
. - Site 3b/717 Bourke Street - Global Campus Management/Babcock & Brown.
- Site 5a - Kangan Batman TAFEKangan Batman TAFEKangan Institute is a Technical and Further Education provider located over a number of campuses in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It specialises in the automotive, aerospace, polymer and transport industries.- History :...
. - Site 5b - Under negotiation, Sama DubaiSama DubaiSama Dubai is a member company and subsidiary of Dubai Holding, a holding company set up by the government of Dubai. Sama Dubai was created as a company with wider responsibility and mandate than its previous predecessor . Sama Dubai is practically the international property arm of Dubai Holding...
. - Site 6 - Under negotiation, Sama Dubai.
- Site 7/643 Collins Street - GroconGroconGrocon Pty Ltd is a large Australian construction company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned by the Grollo family.-History:Grocon grew from a small family concreting business established by Luigi Grollo in the 1950s, to a major building company in the 1980s with his sons Rino & Bruno...
.
City of Melbourne - gradual handover
On 1 July 2007 Docklands became part of the City of MelbourneCity of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
local government authority however VicUrban
VicUrban
VicUrban is an agency of the Victorian Government responsible for overseeing sustainable development in Victoria, Australia. It is intended to support planning policies such as Melbourne 2030 and acts as a land developer with a 12% market share in land sales...
retains planning authority until 2010.
Heritage
Significant heritage buildings include 67 Spencer Street67 Spencer Street
67 Spencer Street is the former head offices of the Victorian Railways, located on Spencer Street, Melbourne, Australia. Today it is used as a hotel and apartments...
, former railway offices (adaptively reused as the "Grand Hotel" apartments), the railway goods sheds (adaptively reused as an indoor market), The Mission to Seafarers building, Victoria Dock and Central Pier, Queens Warehouse (adaptively reused as a vintage car museum), Docklands park gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
and a small number of warehouses and container sheds.
Districts
The area is broken up into a number of precincts, which are each being designed and built by a different development company.Batman's Hill
The Batman's Hill precinct is bordered by the Yarra River to the south, Spencer Street to the east, Docklands Stadium to the north and Victoria Harbour to the west. The precinct is named after the historical landmark Batman's HillBatman's Hill
Batman's Hill in Melbourne, Australia was named for the Vandemonian adventurer and grazier John Batman. Now removed, the 18 metre high hill was located to the south of today's Collins Street and Southern Cross railway station, and is the site of a steel marker the same height as the original...
, which was once situated within the area.
It is a mixed-use precinct including commercial and retail space, entertainment, hotels, residential sections, restaurants, cultural sites and educational institutions as well as the historic Rail Goods Shed No. 2, which was split in half to allow for the extension of Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
into Docklands, providing businesses with an address that is considered to be prestigious. The area is 100,000 square metres.
More than half the precinct is already built, committed or under construction, and includes the Watergate/Site One apartment and small office complex, 700 Collins Street (home to the Bureau of Meteorology
Bureau of Meteorology
The Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...
and Medibank Private
Medibank Private
Medibank is an Australian government-owned private health insurer, established under the Fraser government in 1976 through the Health Insurance Commission . It is Australia's largest health insurance provider with 3.6 million members under two brands, and the only health insurer present in every...
), 750 Collins Street (the headquarters of AXA Asia Pacific), Kangan Institute's Automotive Centre for Excellence (ACE) and the Fox Classic Car Museum. 717 Bourke Street (consisting of a 294 room Travelodge
Travelodge
Travelodge refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia...
Hotel and 737 Bourke Street (home to National Foods).
On 2 August 2007, it was reported that a $1.5 billion scheme had been earmarked for Collins Street by Middle Eastern investment company Sama Dubai
Sama Dubai
Sama Dubai is a member company and subsidiary of Dubai Holding, a holding company set up by the government of Dubai. Sama Dubai was created as a company with wider responsibility and mandate than its previous predecessor . Sama Dubai is practically the international property arm of Dubai Holding...
, to be designed by architect Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
firm Ashton Raggatt McDougall
Ashton Raggatt McDougall
Ashton Raggatt McDougall or ARM is a firm of architects based in Melbourne, Australia known for "architectural outspokenness". Founded in 1988, the firm has completed internationally renowned design work and the principals are Stephen Ashton, Howard Raggatt and Ian McDougall...
. The plan would consist of four buildings, including Docklands' tallest tower as well as civic spaces spanning two sites to be built on decking over Wurundjeri Way. The proposed tower will be between 50 to 60 storeys tall but did not proceed and VicUrban put the site back out to tender in early 2011.
The offices of Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
are at 643 Collins Street. The new building, known as Media House, comprises 16,000 m2 of office space accommodating 1,400 staff, on decking over railway lines opposite Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
. The $110 million eight-storey facility was designed by architects Bates Smart
Bates Smart
Bates Smart is Australia's second oldest architectural firm, established in 1853 by Joseph Reed as the practice Reed and Barnes. JPE Design Studio in Adelaide founded in 1851 by Daniel Garlick is the oldest continuing architectural practice in Australia....
to achieve a 5-star Green Star rating, and will feature a news ticker, outdoor screen and grassy plaza. It iwas developed by Grocon
Grocon
Grocon Pty Ltd is a large Australian construction company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned by the Grollo family.-History:Grocon grew from a small family concreting business established by Luigi Grollo in the 1950s, to a major building company in the 1980s with his sons Rino & Bruno...
in 2009.
Collins Square
Formerly known as Village Docklands, Collins Square is a 3ha precinct, within the larger Batman's Hill precinct being developed by Walker Corporation.Collins Square is the outcome of a split of precincts in the tender process in 2000 which resulted in Goods Shed South, 735 Collins Street and Sites 4a-4f originally awarded to a Kuok Group and Walker Corporation JV.
A masterplan prepared by Marchese + Partners in conjunction with Bligh Voller Nield
BVN Architecture
BVN Architecture, formerly Bligh Voller Nield, is an architecture firm based in Australia.Bligh Voller Nield was established during 1997 to 1999 with the merger of Bligh Voller Architects, Lawrence Nield and Partners Australia, Grose Bradley and Pels Innes Neilson and Kosloff...
architects was approved in early 2002, it included a 60 storey Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts runs the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands of hotels.-Companies:*Shangri-La Asia Limited is incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability...
tower with a Collins Street address and a mix of commercial and residential towers, as well as the refurbishment of the southern half of Goods Shed No. 2 into a night market and food hall.
In mid 2007, a new, more commercially orientated masterplan was prepared by Bates Smart
Bates Smart
Bates Smart is Australia's second oldest architectural firm, established in 1853 by Joseph Reed as the practice Reed and Barnes. JPE Design Studio in Adelaide founded in 1851 by Daniel Garlick is the oldest continuing architectural practice in Australia....
. In it a new 38 storey office tower replaced the Shangri La hotel on Collins Street and the number of streets is reduced from four to three, replaced by pedestrian thoroughfares. Overall there will now be five office buildings, ranging in height from 155m (to roof) to 36 m and the refurbishment of the Goods Shed with a 'lantern' structure addressing Collins Street. The entire precinct is aiming for a 5 Star Green Star rating.
On 17 December 2007, Walker Corporation launched the next phase of construction, beginning with demolition works and site preparation.
Stadium Precinct
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's Melbourne digital broadcasting
Digital broadcasting
Digital broadcasting is the practice of using digital data rather than analogue waveforms to carry broadcasts over television channels or assigned radio frequency bands...
centre, Victoria Point
Victoria Point (building)
Victoria Point is a 42 level residential tower located at the corner of Bourke Street and Harbour Esplanade in Docklands, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia....
, Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank is an Australian financial institution, operating primarily in retail banking. The company merged with Adelaide Bank in November 2007, with shareholders voting in March 2008 to change the merged company’s name to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited.Before the merger, Bendigo Bank...
offices, and Quest serviced apartments. It is linked to Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
and the Melbourne CBD by the Bourke Street pedestrian bridge, built over railway lines.
During the 2000 Docklands development tender process, the stadium precinct was divided into four corners, the North West Stadium Precinct (NWSP), North East Stadium Precinct (NESP), North East Stadium Precinct (NESP) and South West Stadium Precinct (SWSP). The NWSP was awarded to Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
/Pacific Holdings. The NESP was awarded to Pan Urban. The SWSP was awarded to Devine Limited/RIA Property Group and the SESP - Bourke Junction Consortium (ISPT, CBUS Property and EPC Partners).
Etihad Stadium (originally Colonial Stadium) was opened in March 2000. The ability for the structure to have both open and closed roof configurations has seen it host many sports events, including Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
as well as concerts. The stadium complex is currently managed by Stadium Operations Ltd, which is owned by the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, with ownership transferring to the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
in 2025.
Developer Pan Urban has announced plans for a $300 million twin-tower apartment development known as Lacrosse Docklands for the NESP with the towers set to rise 21 and 18 storeys respectively, above the stadium concourse, with restaurants and bars opening out on to the concourse, forming a retail plaza.
Plans for the site to be known as Bourke Junction include office towers of 29 and 21 storeys on the north-eastern and south-western corners of the SESP site, as well as three lower-rise buildings housing a 250 room hotel, a pub, medical centre, retail facilities, a business club and a two-level gymnasium.
Digital Harbour at Comtechport Precinct
Small office/home office
Small office/home office, or SOHO, refers to the category of business or cottage industry which involves from 1 to 10 workers. SOHO can also stand for single office/home office....
units and retail space. At present only three buildings have been completed; 1010 LaTrobe Street/Port 1010 (home to VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
, Australian Customs Service
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
), and the Innovation Building (home of the Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
Learning Academy and Innovation Centre). A third building, Life.lab currently resides at 198 Harbour Esplanade, while a fourth, 1000 LaTrobe Street, is expected to commence shortly.
Port 1010 received the Commercial Architecture Award at the 2007 Victorian Architecture Awards
Victorian Architecture Awards
The Victorian Architecture Awards are architecture awards that are annually awarded to buildings in the state Victoria, Australia. These awards have been awarded since 1929 by the Australian Institute of Architects....
held on Friday 13 July.
The Digital Harbour Business Association was launched in 2011, this is a group of businesses established in the Digital Harbour precinct in the Docklands. The precinct is a destination for IT, Media and other related businesses. The aim of the Association is to promote the businesses within Digital Harbour to the wider Docklands Community and Melbourne CBD.
Victoria Harbour
The Victoria Harbour Precinct is the centrepiece of Docklands. The precinct includes a proposed extension of Collins StreetCollins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
and Bourke Street
Bourke Street, Melbourne
Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub...
to meet at the water's edge. It has an area of 280,000 square metres with 3.7 kilometres of waterfront. The 12-year construction plans for Victoria Harbour include residential apartments, commercial office space, retail space, community facilities and the development of public spaces such as Grand Plaza, Harbour Esplanade, Docklands Park and Central Pier, Melbourne.
One of the first completed office buildings in the precinct was the colourful National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
headquarters, located at 800 Bourke Street, which accommodates approximately 3,600 staff. The building has large open floor plates, an atria, a campus-style workplace and a four-star energy rating.
Almost 1,000 Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
employees also call Victoria Harbour home, with the company's new Melbourne offices at 818 Bourke Street. Ericsson House sits on the water's edge next door to National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank
National Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
HQ and Dock 5 apartments
The first residential tower to be built at Victoria Harbour was Dock 5. Rising 30 storeys, it was designed by award-winning Melbourne firm John Wardle Architects
John Wardle (architect)
John Wardle is a Melbourne-based architect. His buildings are mainly one-off residential projects and educational facilities. He designed QV1 , part of Melbourne's QV Village complex. Many of his buildings have won national awards...
and HASSELL
HASSELL
HASSELL is a multidisciplinary design practice, with offices in Australia, China, Singapore and Thailand. It was founded in Australia in 1938. In 2010 it was ranked the largest architecture company in Australia and the 25th largest in the world....
, derives its name from its location which was known as Dock 5.
The Gauge, at 825 Bourke Street will house the new offices of developer Lend Lease and Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
. The eight-storey building was designed to achieve a six-star energy rating, becoming the second building in Docklands to do so.
A Safeway
Safeway (Australia)
Safeway was the trading name used by Woolworths Limited until 2008 for its supermarkets in Victoria, Australia. Elsewhere in Australia the trading name is Woolworths. In August 2008, Woolworths announced the discontinuation of the Safeway name, and has since gradually rebranded Victorian stores as...
supermarket opened in Merchant Street (opposite The Gauge) in 2008 , along with a number of other retail tenancies at street level including an optometry practice called Kaleyedoscope, Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
, a childcare centre, and offices above.
In 2009 the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ)'s new world headquarters at 833 Collins Street have been completed. The office complex includes shops, car parking facilities and a YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. It enables 6,500 ANZ staff to work in one integrated area. The new ANZ headquarters designed by HASSELL, developed by Lend Lease, was expected to become the largest office complex in Australia. Construction commenced in late 2006 with completion expected in 2009. It has been designed to achieve a six-star energy rating.
In 2007, Myer
Myer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...
announced that it had chosen Victoria Harbour as the location for its new Corporate Store Support Offices. The new offices are being built at 800 Collins Street opposite ANZ.
NewQuay
MAB Corporation
MAB Corporation is an integrated property company that creates, owns and manages property assets and built environments throughout Australia. The company was founded in 1995 by Michael Buxton, who began his career working in his family's business, and Andrew Buxton, who started out working in the...
. The flagship building Palladio - which is shaped like the prow of a ship - is named after Italian architect Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
. The podium building, Sant'Elia is named after another Italian architect Antonio Sant'Elia
Antonio Sant'Elia
Antonio Sant'Elia was an extremely influential Italian architect.-Life:Antonio Sant'Elia was born in Como, Lombardy. A builder by training, he opened a design office in Milan in 1912 and became involved with the Futurist movement...
. The rest are named after Australian artists: Nolan (Sidney Nolan
Sidney Nolan
Sir Sidney Robert Nolan OM, AC was one of Australia's best-known painters and printmakers.-Early life:Nolan was born in Carlton, a suburb of Melbourne, on 22 April 1917. He was the eldest of four children. His family later moved to St Kilda. Nolan attended the Brighton Road State School and...
), Arkley (Howard Arkley
Howard Arkley
Howard Arkley was an Australian artist, born in Melbourne, known for his airbrushed paintings of houses, architecture and suburbia. His mothers side of the family was Jewish and his father was German...
), Boyd (Arthur Boyd
Arthur Boyd
Arthur Merric Bloomfield Boyd, AC, OBE was one of the leading Australian painters of the late 20th Century. A member of the prominent Boyd artistic dynasty in Australia, his relatives included painters, sculptors, architects or other arts professionals. His sister Mary Boyd married John Perceval,...
), and Conder (Charles Conder
Charles Conder
Charles Edward Conder was an English-born painter, lithographer and designer. He emigrated to Australia and was a key figure in the Heidelberg School, arguably the beginning of a distinctively Australian tradition in Western art.-Early life:Conder was born in Tottenham, Middlesex, the second son,...
).
Aquavista, completed in May 2007, is a strata office development and the first commercial building to be completed in NewQuay as part of the HQ NewQuay development. Another, the seven-storey 370 Docklands Drive is currently under construction with a further two buildings - Lots 5 & 9 - currently under design development.
On 17 October 2007, MAB Corporation
MAB Corporation
MAB Corporation is an integrated property company that creates, owns and manages property assets and built environments throughout Australia. The company was founded in 1995 by Michael Buxton, who began his career working in his family's business, and Andrew Buxton, who started out working in the...
launched 'The Avenues at NewQuay' development, consisting of three-storey townhouse residences, with park and waterfront frontages, to be built as part of NewQuay's western precinct. The development is being designed by Plus Architecture.
The ground level podiums contain a commercial precinct with a variety of restaurants and cafes including Italian
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
, Indian
Indian cuisine
Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
, Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern cuisine
Middle-Eastern cuisine, West Asian cuisine, or in some place in the United States, Persian-Mediterranean cuisine is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of the Middle East . The cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity...
, Cantonese
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...
, Moroccan, Cambodian and Modern Australian cuisines.
Yarra's Edge
Yarra's Edge is a residential precinct being developed by Mirvac, and the only Docklands precinct south of the Yarra River. When complete, it will consist of 11 apartment towers, costing A$Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1.3 billion, and cover 0.15 km2.
Yarra's Edge was one of the first developments in the Docklands, with construction of Tower 1 commencing in 2000. It is divided into 3 smaller precincts:
The Marina Precinct: Comprising the marina and boardwalk with six residential towers ranging in height from 25 to 47 storeys
The Park Precinct: Comprising Point Park and two residential towers
The River Precinct: Comprising a mix of lower level less, intense terrace-style developments and three high-rise towers towards the Bolte Bridge
Bolte Bridge
The Bolte Bridge is a large twin Cantilever bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour in the Docklands precinct to the west of the Melbourne CBD...
.
To date only five apartment towers have been completed as well as the RekDek (located in the podium of Tower 1 and featuring a gymnasium and 25 metre lap pool), a public promenade, Point Park (with an outlook towards the Melbourne CBD and mix of restaurants, cafes and retail including a day spa and convenience store. Yarra's Edge also has a 175-berth marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, giving boat owners previously unavailable proximity to Crown Casino
Crown Casino
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a large casino and entertainment precinct located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited....
and the city.
Webb Bridge is an award winning bridge designed by Denton Corker Marshall
Denton Corker Marshall
Denton Corker Marshall is a major award-winning Australian architecture practice established in Melbourne in 1972. It was founded by architects John Denton, Bill Corker, and Barrie Marshall...
in collaboration with artist Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
, forming a cycling and pedestrian link to the main part of Docklands through Docklands Park. It is the conversion of the former Webb Bridge rail link. The bridge is near the Charles Grimes Bridge
Charles Grimes Bridge
The Charles Grimes Bridge is a twin road bridge that carries the Docklands Highway over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was named after New South Wales surveyor general Charles Grimes, who was the first European to see the Yarra River....
over the Yarra
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
.
Waterfront City
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, Icehouse
National Ice Sports Centre, Melbourne
The National Ice Sports Centre is an ice sports centre, located in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia.- Facilities :...
ice sports and entertainment centre, and numerous shops and cafes which are centred around this area.
The precinct on features an integration of retail, waterfront entertainment, tourism, dining, commercial and urban community. It has an area of 193,000 square metres.
Stage One was completed in December 2005 in time for the Melbourne Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
in January – February 2006 and the Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in March 2006. The precinct currently features a large circus tent which hosts the International Circus Spectacular as well as mosaic of local entertainers and a number of bronze statues of including Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
, Graham Kennedy
Graham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
, Nellie Melba
Nellie Melba
Dame Nellie Melba GBE , born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and the early 20th century...
and Dame Edna.
Stage Two includes a public entertainment area incorporating The Southern Star, a 120 metres (393.7 ft) tall Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
in the shape of a seven-pointed star and a brand direct outlet centre, Harbour Town. Harbour Town is home to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's first Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
Warehouse Store. Waterfront City also features restaurants, cafes, bars as well as cinemas, bowling and other family entertainment options.
Melbourne Central City Studios
When it opened in 2004, Central City Studios became Melbourne's largest filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
studio complex. The site is located approximately 1.5 km north west of the Central Business District. It has an area of 60,000 square metres and currently consists of five film and television sound stages.
The first major contract for the new studios was the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (film)
Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
in 2005; with a budget of nearly $120 million, at the time it was the biggest feature film to be made in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and features scenes involving Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
landmarks. Since then the studios have housed international productions.
In 2009 the Government of Victoria, together with the Studios, undertook the Future Directions project. This has resulted in the State Government committing the Studios to focus on both the international and domestic film and television industries. Further developments to the infrastructure of the site are planned for 2010, including a refurbishment of Stage 5 as a television studio and redevelopment to the workshop.
Long term plans for the Studios include a large sound stage, mess hall, workshop and retail spaces, production offices, and permanent commercial tenancies.
On 11 October 2010 the studios were re-branded as Docklands Studios Melbourne, formally adopting the name by which the studios were commonly known.
Transportation
Road transport
Road transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
, rail transport
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and water transport.
Docklands Highway
Docklands Highway
Docklands Highway is a highway with a mix of many arterial roads in inner western Melbourne, Australia.- Otherwise Known As :There are a variety of street names which exceed the Docklands Highway status which includes:...
and Wurundjeri Way are the main roads going through Docklands. These connect to the nearby Westgate Freeway on the southern end. Links to the CBD
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
include extensions from Flinders Street, Collins Street and Latrobe Street.
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
, at the eastern edge is the only passenger railway station, although it is also the major interchange for metropolitan and intercity rail. Much of Docklands area remains covered by rail yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
s previously used for freight transport and rolling stock which are being progressively reclaimed or built over.
Tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s in Docklands include the free City Circle Tram, along Docklands Drive and to and from Waterfront City. As Docklands has developed, tram routes have been extended and rerouted into the area. Route 70
Melbourne tram route 70
Tram route 70 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is operated by Camberwell Depot and runs from the Waterfront City Docklands to Wattle Park in Box Hill South...
also runs to Waterfront City. Route 48
Melbourne tram route 48
Tram route 48 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from Victoria Harbour, Docklands to North Balwyn via Collins Street, Spring Street, Wellington Parade and Bridge Road...
runs along Collins Street to Victoria Harbour. Route 30
Melbourne tram route 30
Tram route 30 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from St Vincents Plaza to Etihad Stadium. It only runs on weekdays, during daylight hours and is one of three fare paying routes to use heritage W class trams....
enters Docklands via Latrobe Street, terminating at the north end of Harbour Esplanade. Route 86
Melbourne tram route 86
Tram route 86 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from Bundoora in the northern suburbs to Waterfront City Docklands in the city. It is one of Melbourne's busiest tram routes carrying 44,200 passengers a day...
runs along Latrobe Street and Docklands Drive, terminating at Waterfront City.
Docklands also includes major pedestrian links with a concourse extending from Bourke Street and extensive promenades along the waterfront including the wide Harbour Esplanade.
Several offroad bicycle paths run through Docklands, all of which connect through the central spine of Webb Bridge, Docklands park and Harbour Esplanade, connecting Melbourne City Centre to the inner western suburbs and the Capital City Trail
Capital City Trail
The Capital City Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which circles the Melbourne city centre and some inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
.
There are also three ferry terminals which connect Docklands to the Melbourne City Centre and inner bayside suburbs. One at Victoria Harbour, one at New Quay and one at Yarra's Edge.
Proposed tram line to Footscray
The Melbourne City CouncilCity of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
first proposed extending Route 86
Melbourne tram route 86
Tram route 86 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from Bundoora in the northern suburbs to Waterfront City Docklands in the city. It is one of Melbourne's busiest tram routes carrying 44,200 passengers a day...
from the Docklands along Footscray Road to Footscray station in 2004. The proposal was to be grade separated along almost the entire length of Footscray Road.
The extension became part of the official Inner Melbourne Action Plan adopted by the Cities of Melbourne, Stonnington, Port Phillip and Yarra in December 2005 as a "long term" goal.
Since 2007 plans have progressed, with the City of Melbourne attempting to source funding.
In response to the Eddington Plan in July 2008, the City of Melbourne included a request for consideration as a key East-West transport solution.
The Victorian Greens
Victorian Greens
Australian Greens Victoria, also called the Victorian Greens, is a Green Party located in Victoria, a member of the federation of the Australian Greens party.- Early Years :...
also included the route in its 'The People Plan' election proposal.
However the proposal it suffered a setback in late 2008 when it met State Government opposition. The Department of Infrastructure recommended the removal of the Footscray Road reservation to reduce the cost of constructing a overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
to ease congestion on the CityLink freeway off-ramp. The State Government's plan was rejected by the City of Melbourne who passed the flyover project in council on the provision that it would retain the light-rail reservation, at additional State Government expense whilst also adding to the future cost of the tram link.
Demographics and industry
Docklands residents are almost solely housed in high density housing.In 2009, there were just under 10,000 working mostly in office and retail industries.
Local media
The precinct has two publications, Docklands Community News (DCN) and 3008 Docklands Magazine.The Docklands Community News' first edition was published in 2003, and both DCN & 3008 Docklands Magazine have grown with the Docklands precincts' population. Both publications are printed and distributed to all businesses and residences within Docklands, which allows for a regular readership of over 10,000. The DCN paper informs the community of relevant news relating to Docklands, also supplying residents, business owners and workers with a platform for community discussion.
3008 Docklands Magazine also covers all matters relating to the Docklands community and businesses but also covers events and news pertaining to Melbourne City and the surrounding suburbs as Docklands is under the jurisdiction of the City of Melbourne
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
. 3008 Docklands Magazine is a glossy, well produced, stylish publication which is both informative and interesting and has been well received by its reader base since its first issue back in May 2006. 3008 Docklands Magazine has a significant online following.
Response and reception
The planning of Docklands has raised a large amount of public debate and the area has created significant controversy, particularly the failed Ferris wheel.In 1999, Melbourne City Council Director of Projects criticised the disconnection of the precinct to the CBD, claiming that the lack of transport links, particularly pedestrian meant Docklands was "seriously flawed".
The problem was exacerbated in 2005, when the pedestrian link between Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
and Docklands proposed in 2001 was cut from the final design design of Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
development due to budget blowouts.
In 2006, Royce Millar of The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
referred to it as a "wasted opportunity".
In 2008, the City of Melbourne
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
released a report which criticised Docklands lack of transport and wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
effect, lack of green spaces and community facilities.
In 2009, Neil Mitchell wrote for The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
declaring Docklands as a planning "dud". The Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
has been openly critical of Docklands, claiming in 2009 that it lacks any form of "social glue".
However despite the local criticism in 2009, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
travel writer Mal Chenu described Melbourne Docklands as "the envy of Sydneysiders".
In 2010, VicUrban
VicUrban
VicUrban is an agency of the Victorian Government responsible for overseeing sustainable development in Victoria, Australia. It is intended to support planning policies such as Melbourne 2030 and acts as a land developer with a 12% market share in land sales...
's general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
David Young acknowledged that Harbour Esplanade "doesn't stack up". Kim Dovey
Kim Dovey
Kim Dovey is an Australian architectural critic and Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Melbourne, Australia, teaching urban design theory....
, professor of architecture and design at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
added that Harbour Esplanade was "too big" and claimed that Docklands was "so badly done" that it required a "major rethink".
Panoramas
Further reading
- Kim DoveyKim DoveyKim Dovey is an Australian architectural critic and Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Melbourne, Australia, teaching urban design theory....
: Fluid City: Transforming Melbourne's Urban Waterfront, London: Routledge, 2005
External links
- 3008 Docklands Magazine Website
- Docklands Community News
- NewQuay website
- Waterfront City website
- Victoria Harbour website
- Yarra's Edge website
- Digital Harbour website
- Victoria Online - Docklands Authority
- Australian Places - Docklands
- How public is your private? Article about Docklands by Martin Musiatowicz