Key details
LocationDocklands
Update
Specialist marine contractor, Fitzgerald Constructions Australia Pty Ltd, has been appointed to remove Central Pier following a thorough assessment.
To undertake the demolition safely, barges with cranes mounted on top will be carefully positioned alongside the pier to remove the buildings and then the pier itself. This process will take several years to complete.
Since November 2023, the external awnings on Shed 9 and 14 have been removed, as well as Shed 9’s interior infrastructure.
In 2024, removal works will concentrate on continuing to remove Shed 9 as well as the concrete area around Shed 14.
Development Victoria will also 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.
Central Pier Community Engagement Summary Report
In late 2022, Development Victoria invited the community to share their visions for Central Pier and the adjacent waterfront as part of plans to revitalise the area.
Over 290 people participated in engagement activities which included a combination of online and in-person workshops, as well as an online survey.
The community feedback received on the 10 vision statements was invaluable and Development Victoria has summarised the engagement process undertaken and feedback received into a Community Engagement Summary Report.
You can also view a short infographic that captures the campaign’s activities and your feedback.
Next steps in community engagement
The feedback received through the public consultation process is being used to inform a Vision and Place Principles document that will guide future planning and concepts options for revitalisation of the area.
The Vision and Place Principles document will:
- reflect the community’s aspirations as captured during the public consultation process
- tell the story of what the area could become
- describe a range of high-level vision and guiding principles
- inform future plans to revitalise Central Pier and adjacent waterfront areas.
The Vision and Place Principles document is being developed with input from an advisory panel and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and is expected to be completed and shared with the community later in 2024.
The advisory panel consists of leaders in the fields of cultural place making, urban design, architecture and sustainability. The panel will use the feedback from the Community Engagement Summary Report and provide a range of inputs to inform the Vision and Place Principles document.
2024 to mid 2025
Using the Vision and Place Principles document as its guide, Development Victoria will progress the development of interim and longer-term options for revitalisation of the pier and adjacent waterfront area while the demolition is underway.
Development Victoria will ask for community and stakeholder feedback on future options for the revitalisation of Central Pier and adjoining waterfront at the appropriate time.
Feedback from online community engagement workshop on 6 December 2022
Location
For more information about this project
Latest news
View allFAQ
Following the closure of Central Pier in 2020, further 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 the sheds on Central Pier have now started following the removal of the western tip in 2022.
No. We have installed permanent hoarding around Central Pier which is around 125 metres long to ensure it is secure and unable to be accessed. It is important the pier is secure and safe while we undertake the removal of the Central Pier structure.
For safety reasons, the removal of the pier will be undertaken from barges in the harbour as the structure is unsafe and unable to support any equipment.
Victoria Dock, including Central Pier is of state significance and 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, plus other key stakeholders, about the future of the pier.
Heritage Victoria has approved Development Victoria’s permit application to remove the unsafe pier structure from the water and we will comply with all permit conditions.
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.
Central Pier is no longer safe for occupation or public access.
In late 2021, Development Victoria received approval from Heritage Victoria to remove the western tip of Central Pier from Victoria Harbour. It was removed in 2022.
In October 2022, Heritage Victoria approved a permit for Development Victoria to remove the remaining unsafe pier structure from the water.
Specialist marine contractor Fitzgerald Constructions Australia Pty Ltd has been awarded the contract to progress the removal of Central Pier in the heart of Docklands.
The pier was permanently closed in January 2020 due to safety issues. This decision was based on specialist advice on the pier’s condition, which noted that even with further maintenance, there was no guarantee Central Pier would be safe for ongoing occupation.
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 will evaluate the safest way to remove the pier before removal work is anticipated to begin in the second half of 2023. The removal of the pier is expected to take several years to complete.
The pier was closed for safety reasons following engineering advice. Additional advice from independent engineers is that it is 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 must now be removed from the water.
To safely remove the pier, cranes and equipment will work from barges anchored in the water, carefully positioned alongside the structure to begin the process of removing the buildings first and then the pier itself.
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 will be used to inform the development of a Vision and Place Principles document which will guide the future revitalisation of the pier and adjacent waterfront. The document is anticipated to be publicly released in 2024.
There will be further opportunities for the community to engage and provide feedback as the strategy and plans for Central Pier and adjacent waterfront are developed. We are at the start of the journey to revitalise Central Pier and the adjacent waterfront, and no decisions have been made at this early stage.
Updated on 09 April 2024