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Docklands
Update
Specialist marine contractor, Fitzgerald Constructions Australia Pty Ltd has completed works to remove Central Pier from Victoria Harbour.
The works included realigning services along Harbour Esplanade, removing the concrete deck which previously connected the pier to Harbour Esplanade, and stabilising the sea wall.
As part of this project, maritime heritage materials such as signage, bollards and shed numbers have been salvaged and will be reused in future strategies.
More than 80% of the waste materials from the removal are receiving a new lease on life in construction and manufacturing across Victoria.
Approximately 10,000 tonnes of steel, concrete and bricks, timber and e-waste from the pier has been recycled by Victorian-based companies, underpinning Development Victoria’s goals to support both sustainable construction and local business.
Find out more about how we recycled items from Central Pier.
The removal of Central Pier from Victoria Harbour is a key step in the Victorian Government’s plans to revitalise this waterfront in the heart of Docklands.
Development Victoria will continue to work closely with Heritage Victoria, the City of Melbourne, the community and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities for the revitalisation of Central Pier and adjacent waterfront along Harbour Esplanade to create a vibrant waterfront destination.
Revitalising Central Pier Waterfront - Vision and Place Principles
The ‘Revitalising Central Pier Waterfront - Vision and Place Principles’ outlines the long-term vision to transform Central Pier and the adjacent waterfront in Docklands, drawing inspiration from successful waterfront locations around the world.
It is built around five key themes - Reflect, Flourish, Celebrate, Play, and Connect – and sets out the vision to create a vibrant, community-focused space by the water.
The vision and place principles were developed following extensive consultation with the community and key stakeholders, plus input from an advisory panel consisting of leaders in the fields of cultural place making, heritage, urban design, architecture and sustainability.
It was also delivered with input from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
Next steps
Development Victoria will continue to collaborate with Heritage Victoria, the City of Melbourne, the Docklands community, Traditional Owners, and other key stakeholders to transform the precinct into one of Australia’s premier waterfront destinations.
The delivery of a revitalised Central Pier waterfront is a long-term project that will be progressed in stages.
Informed by the Vision and Place Principles, the next step is to investigate options for revitalisation and develop a detailed implementation plan focusing on funding, approval and delivery.
Feedback from online community engagement workshop on 6 December 2022
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Following the closure of Central Pier in 2020, investigations were undertaken to assess the condition of the structure and the future of the pier and adjacent waterfront.
These investigations found underlying safety concerns with the pier and previous engineering advice that the pier’s condition was irretrievable.
Development Victoria commenced planning for the safe removal of the pier by lodging an application to Heritage Victoria for a permit to remove the pier from the water. This application was approved by Heritage Victoria in October 2022.
Works to remove Central Pier started in early 2024, following the removal of the western tip in 2022. Removal works were completed in October 2025.
The heritage permit for the pier’s removal does not require its replacement, and there are no current plans to rebuild it. Development Victoria is exploring activation opportunities in Docklands, including the waterfront.
No. The engineering advice is that the pier structure has deteriorated significantly and is irretrievable. It is more than 100 years old, and the structure has been in the water for a very long time. Development Victoria recognises the heritage value of Victoria Dock and Central Pier, and any future plans will reflect its heritage significance.
Victoria Dock, including Central Pier, is of state significance and is included on the Victorian Heritage Register. We will be following all appropriate processes to ensure we understand what is required from a heritage perspective.
We will continue to work with Heritage Victoria and other key stakeholders to explore ways to continue to celebrate the heritage of Victoria Dock for many more years to come.
Specialist marine contractor, Fitzgerald Constructions Australia Pty Ltd completed works to remove Central Pier from Victoria Harbour in October 2025.
The works also included realigning services along Harbour Esplanade, removing the concrete deck which previously connected the pier to Harbour Esplanade, and stabilising the sea wall.
The heritage permit for the pier’s removal does not require its replacement, and there are no current plans to rebuild it. Development Victoria is exploring activation opportunities in Docklands, including the waterfront.
The contract was awarded after a competitive public process conducted by Development Victoria, the State Government’s major projects agency and property developer.
In 2022 Fitzgerald Constructions completed the project to remove the western tip of Central Pier.
Fitzgerald Constructions completed the removal of Central Pier in October 2025.
The pier was closed for safety reasons following engineering advice in 2020. Additional advice from independent engineers is that it was not possible to safely repair the pier because of its current dilapidated condition and associated safety issues.
The safety of workers and visitors has always been the primary concern in considering the future of Central Pier.
Given the current dilapidated condition of the pier structure and safety concerns the pier was removed from the water.
From 15 October to 22 December 2022, Development Victoria undertook stakeholder and community consultation on the revitalisation of Central Pier and adjoining waterfront via an online survey on the Engage Victoria website, as well as an online community session and an in-person session with the Victoria Point Owners Corporation.
An Engagement Summary Report was released in late-2023.
The feedback gained from the community engagement process was used to inform the development of a Vision and Place Principles document.
The Vision and Place Principles will guide the future revitalisation of the pier and adjacent waterfront.
Vision and Place Principles
Following engagement with the community and other key stakeholders across 2022 and 2023, Development Victoria has released the Central Pier Waterfront Vision and Place Principles document.
It was developed with input from an advisory panel and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, the document will guide future planning and concept development for revitalisation of Central Pier and the waterfront along Harbour Esplanade.
- It reflects the community’s aspirations for Central Pier as captured during the public consultation process.
- It acts as a guide to inform the future revitalisation of the area.
- It establishes the aspiration and values to be achieved through the revitalisation process.
In the Central Pier Waterfront Vision and Place Principles document, the vision is that the Central Pier waterfront will be Melbourne’s gathering place at the water’s edge where the city’s creative energy comes together in welcoming spaces to reflect, celebrate, play, and connect. It will be a resilient harbour where regenerated ecological systems enable people, flora, and fauna to flourish.
The Place Principles establish a framework of objectives and values that will be used to inform and guide decisions that shape the future physical design, appearance, and functionality of the revitalised waterfront.
The Vision for Central Pier and adjacent waterfront is framed by the five key Place Principles:
- Reflect
- Flourish
- Celebrate
- Play
- Connect.
Echo of Central Pier
To celebrate Central Pier’s maritime history and heritage, we have commissioned an art installation called ‘Echo’ that maps the footprint of Central Pier across Victoria Harbour. The community will be able to experience ‘Echo’ from 28 April 2026.
Delivered with the support of Heritage Victoria, Parks Victoria and the City of Melbourne and designed by heritage interpretation graphic designers, LookEar, with support from Mono Design, Echo is not only visually striking, but deeply connected to the site’s history.
The installation comprises of 145 illuminated marine buoys programmed to flash individually on a slow rhythm, laid out in a grid formation as a visual ‘echo’ tracing where the most recently demolished section of the pier once stood.
During the day, the installation reveals the scale and geometry of the former pier’s footprint. At night, the buoys create a field of light that encourages people to pause at the water’s edge and reflect on the past, present and future stories of Docklands.
The removal of Central Pier from Victoria Harbour is a key step in the Victorian Government’s plans to revitalise the waterfront in the heart of Docklands.
Development Victoria will continue to work closely with Heritage Victoria, the City of Melbourne, the community and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities for the revitalisation of Central Pier and adjacent waterfront along Harbour Esplanade to create a vibrant waterfront destination.
Related documents - updated 10 March 2020
Updated on 13 April 2026