Woi Wurrung (Wurundjeri) language

• More understanding and visibility of Woi Wurrung language across the city
  
• Already doing, Exploring

We’ve heard that you’d like to see Woi Wurrung (Wurundjeri) language more understood and visible throughout the city.

“Open language classes”

“It would be good to have more Aboriginal [Woi Wurrung] place names and an idea of what Melbourne was like before”

“Dual Aboriginal [Woi Wurrung] names on everything that was here before we were”

“Aboriginal [Woi Wurrung] language included in maps”

As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan 2021-23, we are identifying and implementing opportunities for the dual naming of spaces to reflect the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the area, specifically Wurundjeri for the Melbourne CBD.

In 2022, Melbourne Knowledge Week will also be dual named.

Wurundjeri cultural heritage

• More recognition of Wurundjeri's ongoing cultural connection to Country with visibility through signage, education, placemaking and creative art initiatives
  
• Already doing

We've heard that you'd like to see more recognition of Wurundjeri's ongoing cultural connection to Country with visibility through signage, education, placemaking and creative art initiatives.

“Unique identity is Aboriginal Melbourne - we will stand out in that way.”

“I think Indigenous landmarks and locations should be clearer throughout the city.”

“Cultural activities within neighbourhoods such as stalls selling yam daisies and other flora, reed necklaces and basket weaving”

At this year’s Melbourne Knowledge Week we will be launching an Aboriginal Melbourne spatial mapping tool documenting places and events of Aboriginal cultural and societal significance within the municipality. This includes an interactive map to be located in Town Hall Commons and through desktop and mobile versions. This has been developed in consultation with Wurundjeri and will be an educational resource and will support Council in placemaking and signage.

We host the YIRRAMBOI Festival every second year, providing opportunities for Aboriginal artists to present their continuous and diverse contemporary practices.

We are also partnering with the Victorian Government and other stakeholders to deliver specific components of Greenline along the north bank of the Birrarung Yarra River.

Apartment living

• Greater support for apartment living and strata communities and more affordable housing.
• Exploring.

With most people within the CBD living in high-rise apartments, we’ve heard that you’d like to see more affordable housing, better design quality, more sustainability and housing types within apartments, and require greater support for apartment living and strata communities.

“It would be great to have building managers brought together and given support. Some are better than others.”

“Integration of public housing in existing apartment blocks.”

“Our apartment building doesn't have common rooms like some of the newer ones do. Our apartments are too small to have gatherings. Would love an affordable space for CBD families that can be rented out for birthday parties, dinner parties, afternoon teas. We can't always rely on parks and gardens due to Melbourne's weather!”

“Build new buildings with 8-star ratings.”

We have established Homes Melbourne to coordinate and facilitate more affordable housing for key workers and people on low-incomes.

As part of our Climate and Biodiversity Emergency response we are advocating to the Australian Building Codes Board, along with State and Federal Governments to ensure that the next update of the National Construction Code delivers better outcomes for people and the planet. This means fast tracking changes to the building code, such as a 7.5 star rating for all new buildings, to enable the transition to resilient, zero carbon buildings.

We have some resources on our apartment living page to support the strata community and are keen to hear your ideas on further addressing this.

We’re looking at ways we can further support our residents across Melbourne to make their homes more comfortable, healthy and affordable to live in. Some resources are available for residents here.

Affordable and inclusive

• Spaces and services are welcoming for all people including families and children, older people, migrant communities, neurodiverse people, LGBTIQ+ communities.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that the affordability of the CBD is currently in a state of flux but you would like to see it as an affordable and inclusive place. We’ve heard that you would like to see spaces and services for all people including families and children, older people, migrant communities, neurodiverse people, LGBTIQ+ communities.

“More spaces where families and people of all ages can sit without having to spend money.”

“More facilities for grandparents to take their children while parents are working.”

We provide a broad range of health and support services, programs and resources to assist the community including children and their families, young people, older people, LQBTIQ communities.

We have recently adopted an Inclusive Melbourne Strategy that will increase access to opportunities for all people and outline how the City of Melbourne will respond to the diversity of religions, cultures, age groups, gender, sexual orientation and ability among the people who live, work, study in and visit the city.

We have also recently adopted our Creating Communities of Equality and Respect: Women’s Safety and Empowerment Action Plan 2021-2024 which outlines action that can be taken to prevent violence against women.

We’re keen to hear your ideas on further addressing inclusivity within the Melbourne CBD neighbourhood.

Accessible and easy to navigate

• Spaces and services designed to consider use by people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you would like the city to be accessible and easy to navigate and that there are spaces and services for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

“Disability access could be improved - not a ramp around the back of a building.”

“Fix the pathways with the dots for the blind and making the CBD more accessible for vision and mobility impaired people.”

We are delivering the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2020-2024 including ensuring our services and events are more accessible, increasing the number of accessible adult change facilities, and partnering with community and transport groups to make transport more accessible.

Local and fresh food

• Local food production and access to fresh food.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard you’d like to see more local food production through small planters, community gardens and food forests and working with social enterprises. You also told us that the Queen Victoria Market is a valuable community asset and that you’d like to have more access to fresh food throughout the city.

“I would love to see a few more fresh food mini markets in the CBD. Like a European vegetable market in a little area where people can pop out at lunchtime and buy some fresh produce or grab a fresh lunch. We have QVM but would be nice to have something like that actually in the CBD.”

The Community Food Relief Plan 2021-2025 outlines our commitment to improving access to food and our food relief services. The Plan notes our commitment to investigate the opportunity for pop-up markets in our local neighbourhoods.

Our Community Food Guide is a resource for community agencies or anyone in the community who needs information about how to access affordable, fresh and healthy food.

We continue to work with food relief providers on initiatives and programs that will improve access to food relief by vulnerable members of our community. This includes improving local food production by supporting communities to grow their own food.

Decarbonising transport

• Decarbonising transport and keeping cars out of small streets and lanes.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see the decarbonisation of transport and explore having more pedestrian-only and shared zone areas, particularly in small streets and lanes.

“Charge cars that travel through the city a toll. Use the funding to support better public transport from outer suburbs.”

“Introduce zero cars within 2-4kms of CBD this will reduce emissions. This will reduce accidents as well.”

“I wish there were more streets that were closed to motor vehicles. I love the CBD but there are too many cars on the road. It is a waste of space and the noise and air pollution detracts from the sense of place.”

We’re committed to zero emissions transport, including supporting transition to electric vehicles, as outlined in our Transport Strategy 2030 and Climate Change Mitigation Strategy. We will also continue a public conversation about road pricing reform.

We’re pursuing higher environmental standards through our proposed planning scheme amendment C376 Sustainable Building Design. This proposed amendment will incorporate electric vehicle (EV) charging and EV readiness for new buildings within the capital city zone to ensure new buildings are future proofed and support our vision of a zero emissions city by 2040.

We’re also fast-tracking the delivery of protected bike lanes and pedestrian and bike-friendly street improvements across the city.

Greening the city

• Greening the city streets, buildings and rooftops.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more greening of city streets, laneways and buildings including rooftops. You’d also like to see more biodiversity and flora and fauna within the city.

“Initiative to green the CBD's buildings including greening rooftops - so much of the city looks onto the rooftops of other buildings - let's make these spaces nice to hang out in and nice to look at.”

“Urban Forest - greening of laneways, vertical gardens, assistance for buildings that want to build rooftop garden live on 50th floor, see all the way to Cathedral and Parliament.”

We’ve developed an Urban Forest Strategy and are currently delivering in year 8 of the Central City Urban Forest Precinct Plan. We will be renewing this plan in the coming years with further opportunities for community engagement and input on this.

The Urban Forest Fund supports a wide range of projects, including gardens, tree planting, biodiversity projects, green roofs and vertical greening, and intersects with the Green Our City Strategic Action Plan which aims to improve the quality and quantity of green roofs and vertical greening in Melbourne.

Our Nature in the City Strategy also outlines how we will protect and enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity in our city.

Sustainability and resilience programs

• Education programs on climate change, biodiversity and disaster preparedness.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more education programs on climate change and biodiversity. We also heard that many people are not prepared for disasters that might affect our neighbourhood.

“Pop-up workshops and classes, to improve sustainability in own home.”

“Educative sessions videos at Federation Square about climate change and initiatives to take to conserve energy, etc. Reduce use of plastic, change to paper bags.”

We declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019 and are taking bold action on climate change. We’ve committed to zero net emissions by 2040 in addition to a range of other actions and priorities. To find out more about how you can act on climate change, we have some resources here.

Our urban water in the city initiative aims to increase understanding of sustainable water management in our cities and provides resources and ideas to make a difference at home or work.

We also offer a range of environmental education and awareness programs for community including Nature Stewards, our Citizen Forester Program, Gardens for Wildlife and sustainability walking tours.

We have a new initiative on Community Disaster Resilience and will look to run programs to help our community be more prepared.

City of Melbourne is the first organisation to have an event portfolio including Melbourne Fashion Week, Melbourne Music Week, Melbourne Knowledge Week which are all certified Carbon Neutral through the Australian Government’s Climate Active Program. For the first time, this year’s Moomba festival was also a carbon-neutral certified event.

Renewable energy

• More promotion and adoption of renewable energy like solar.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard you’d like to see more promotion and adoption of renewable energy.

“Turn the CBD into a negative powered hub using solar horizontal wind production.”

“Sustainability having solar as necessity on all buildings and putting energy to the grid.”

“Possibly introducing a greener initiative, running of renewables.”

We became the first capital city council in Australia to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy in 2017 through the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project. By continuing our innovation in renewable energy, Power Melbourne will play a lead role in reaching our ambition to become a city powered by 100 per cent renewables by 2030.

Waste and circular economy

• Improving waste management and circular economy projects within the CBD.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see a reduction in food waste, improvements in waste management and circular economy projects within the neighbourhood including a vending machine-like system for glass and refilling stations for household products.

“More incentives for recycling would be great e.g. clothing recycling bins so that they can be upcycled later on.”

“Food and organic waste treatment for apartment towers - that's a huuuuuge opportunity.”

Our Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy outlines a vision and range of actions to help become a zero waste city.

We are leading the reduction of food waste and diversion of waste from landfill, by continuing the roll-out of our food and organics (FOGO) collection service for single-unit and multi-unit dwellings up to five storeys. We will also be trialling textile bins and conducting a food organics pilot in high-rise buildings.

We are also supporting the development of a circular economy through leadership and community neighbourhood projects, including social enterprise grants, reviewing the options for a container deposit scheme, alternative waste technologies and developing circular economy guidelines.

Distinct neighbourhoods

• Enhancing resilience of the CBD through defining and promoting distinct neighbourhoods within the city.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see further support for local businesses and enhancing resilience of the CBD through defining and promoting distinct neighbourhoods within the city.

“We’d like to get to know each other more. We’d like to be more active in the precincts. I’m keen to see a recovery led by small business owners and residents.”

“Define and market unique neighbourhoods of the city like New York does.”

Through our Business Precinct Program 2021-25 we provide annual financial support to empower precinct trader associations to improve the look and feel of their areas, deliver local activations and marketing and promotion campaigns.

We are supporting Melbourne’s creative industries through adaptive reuse and activation of precincts and vacant spaces throughout the city.

We are keen to partner with the industry and hyper-local communities to continue to explore these opportunities further.

Small business support

• More support for small businesses and diversifying hospitality offerings.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more support for small businesses and diversifying hospitality offerings.

“30% off in restaurants was excellent, some more of those.”

“Small business in the CBD is dead and the probability of revival is low.”

“Encouraging sole traders to grow their business and become a small business.”

“Support small business and retail, support offices to attract employees back to full time work.”

We’ve provided and continue to provide a range of support for businesses including: grants, mentoring, workshops, extended outdoor dining initiatives, regular newsletters, sharing data and research and more.

We continue to strengthen Melbourne's economic recovery, including through precinct and shopfront activation, delivery of an enhanced business concierge service and support for the night-time economy.

Via our Business Precinct Program 2021-25, local businesses are encouraged to join their representative association to benefit from City of Melbourne support to deliver local activations and marketing and promotion campaigns.

Co-working and improving digital literacy

• Affordable communal workspaces for start-ups and creatives and improving digital literacy across the city.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more affordable communal workspaces for start-ups and creatives. We also heard that you’ve like to see more access to digital services and improvements to digital literacy.

“Small hubs created for local entrepreneurs at affordable rates. City is not as expensive as pre-COVID but getting mass bookings means that offices can be full all the time.”

“It would be great if there were community-based coworking spaces. One aspect of apartment living in the CBD is that they are not huge spaces. COVID has impacted ability to use shared spaces and facilities within our buildings and many of the older buildings don't have these amenities. […] it would be great if the City of Melbourne could broker this or if we had known about community spaces that are modern functional.”

"Vibrant free places for community groups and artists to meet, spread throughout the city for easy access.”

The Micro-Labs project aims to mix retail, community and co-working in one city location. We are aiming to bring a shopfront to life at 227-229 Bourke St for our residents and visitors to enjoy, as well as supporting our businesses and economy.

Through our Library Service including pop-up libraries we are building digital literacy skills and capabilities and improving access to free wi-fi from our community facilities.

The changing nature of work has created a growing demand for a more mobile and flexible work life. Coworking spaces and the diverse range of services they offer are a perfect solution to this growing demand, we are supporting the start-up ecosystem through programs and initiatives.

Heritage protection

• Preserving old buildings and heritage.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see our old buildings and heritage preserved.

“Retaining the buildings etc for the things that make Melbourne unique with the Melbourne feel.”

“Consider what future generations want from today architecture before an [older] building is pulled down.”

“Avoiding facadism to better protect Melbourne's special identity.”

We’ve completed the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review, the first comprehensive review of heritage buildings in the central city since the 1990s. The independent review took a holistic view of more than 1000 buildings, carefully considering Aboriginal, colonial, contemporary, community, tangible and intangible heritage values.

We have sought heritage protection for 137 properties and five precincts through Amendment C387. The properties include 55 places that represent the best of our city’s postwar residential and commercial architecture and tell the story of Melbourne’s evolution from 1945 to 1975.

Street cleanliness

• Improving street maintenance and cleanliness.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like our city streets to be maintained and kept clean.

“The city needs to be clean and inviting not grungy and dirty.”

“The city seems neglected and the onslaught of COVID is palpable. The streets and public spaces are always dirty and graffiti is rampant.”

We’ve established a Rapid Response Clean Team who will be patrolling the CBD and responding in real time to requests for street cleaning and graffiti removal.

Between 7-21 March, the Rapid Response Clean Team conducted a two-week blitz, cleaning illegal graffiti from the CBD grid and corridors.

Creative city

• More events, activities, and art and support for artists and performers.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more events, activities and art within the city and support for artists and performers.

“Lots of free events - lots of opportunities to try new things from different cultures.”

“[It produces] wonderful and wide-ranging events to see and [it is] proactive in incentivising visitors to make the journey in. [It] invests in making the city a vibrant and interesting place.”

“Making venues more affordable for groups to rehearse and perform in the city…. Having a thriving arts culture has always been so important to Melbourne as it attracts people and gives the city a buzz and a safe and exciting vibe with lots of people living and working in the city. The people who work, rehearse and patronise these concerts, shows and events helps the local economy and makes the city a more attractive place to be.”

We’re delivering our public art projects and program of events to drive visitation and spend while showcasing Melbourne's unique culture and creative strengths.

Flash Forward created a connected network of laneways across Melbourne and commissioned more than 80 creatives to create over 40 art installations and 40 albums.

Arts Grants are also available to artists and small to medium arts organisations from all backgrounds and abilities.

Creative Spaces connects artists and creative practitioners with spaces, promotes artists and their work, and provides an index of live and virtual events.

“Reinventing” the city

• Reinventing through innovation, creative production and new uses of city buildings and spaces.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see the city “reinvented” in the long-term in face of uncertainty and COVID-19 impacts through innovation, creative production and new uses of city buildings and spaces.

“Would like to see more use of diverse spaces (upper story spaces in older buildings, more public design in small spaces at ground level that encourage a sense of discovery.) Interesting interpretation.”

As highlighted in our Economic Development Strategy 2031 and supported by our Creative Strategy 2018-2028, we have an opportunity to transform and reimagine the role of the city as a place to work, visit and be entertained.

For example, newly vacant spaces create opportunities to encourage creatives back into the central city, contributing to its revitalisation and providing residents, workers and visitors with a greater inspiration to engage and collaborate in city life.

We are also looking at ways to move beyond the office, stimulating a mix of industries through precincts and innovation.

We are also delivering This is Your Local, a marketing and communications strategy promoting the central city as a great place to live.

Grassroots neighbourhood activities

• Strengthening Melbourne as a series of 'neighbourhoods within the neighbourhood' and not only a 'CBD'.
• Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more grassroots activities and community projects that strengthen Melbourne as a series of 'neighbourhoods within the neighbourhood' and not only a 'CBD'

“Seeing more grassroots activities and community projects that we can get involved in.”

"Everyone wants to get the city back on its feet again. But putting people in funny coloured hats and putting them around the city, that is not bringing Melbourne back to life. We need creative production not just consumption. That's what built Melbourne. Otherwise we're just greater Chadstone, a series of brands, that won't save Melbourne.

People are savvy, they come to Melbourne for our filthy laneways and backstreets where you can discover insane things - it's the jazz, it's the restaurants, the music. The CBD is not a homogenous place, there more we can strengthen each neighbourhood within the CBD and create an interconnected network, the better, stronger and more resilient the whole CBD will be."

We are keen to partner with community groups and individuals, industry and other organisations to explore these opportunities further.

Local community connection

• More programs and spaces and tools to enhance local community connection.
• Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more programs, spaces and tools to enhance community connection, particularly between high-rise residents, and with small businesses and international students.

“Perhaps more community activities - e.g. tree planting, information-based walking tours, etc.”

“Address social isolation of single people. Link people to walk dogs to connect younger with older people.”

“Council funded residents connection services & residents events.”

“Creative centres for community building. We hardly even know our neighbours.”

We support the delivery of a range of community events through our Events Partnership Program and Connected Communities grants. Our Business Precincts Program also supports local business associations to run activations and we deliver and support numerous international students programs.

We’ve been exploring further opportunities through a number of trial meet-up events for residents and small business owners as part of Participate 3000 and are keen to hear your ideas and initiatives that further local community connection.

Safety in the street

• Addressing drug and alcohol use, mental health, aggressive behaviour and more police and security presence and better lighting.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see further safety in the street including addressing drug and alcohol use, mental health, aggressive behaviour and advocating for more police and security presence and better lighting.

“There are a lot of good things about living in the city, but I also don't feel safe. I don't walk anywhere unless I have someone with me. Laneways are poorly lit.”

“More police around at night, I don't feel safe at night we hardly see any police around the city.”

“Sometimes I am afraid to walk alone at night in Melbourne CBD, especially Flinders Street areas, as there are people on drugs. I feel unsafe when there are a higher number of drunk people at night on weekends.”

We continue to work with Victoria Police and other agencies to deliver a range of initiatives that improve safety on the streets of Melbourne and within our communities, and are keen to hear your ideas on further addressing this.

Homelessness support

• Support for people experiencing homelessness and working towards reducing homelessness.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more support provided for people experiencing homelessness and that you’d like to understand more about existing services and how you might be able to help.

“It seems that there has been much money and time invested in gentrification of Melbourne without addressing and solving issues such as homelessness and sparse housing.”

“I tend to see many homeless people and it creates an unsafe environment. Maybe they should have access to a mobile phone so they can know what shelters they can go to or police officers to escort them to the appropriate services.”

We are actively working through our in-house support team, with other agencies and our recently established Homes Melbourne to support people experiencing homelessness and increase pathways out of homelessness.

We’ve appointed Unison Housing, a registered housing provider, to work with us on the Make Room project to convert a Council property at 602 Little Bourke Street into 50 studio apartments with essential homelessness and health services.

Make Room is partnering with the Victorian Government, who have contributed $9m plus committed to the support services, and the The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation and the Gandel Foundation have contributed $3.75m.

Safer roads and public transport

• Balancing the needs of various transport and road users.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that some people would like driving and parking to be easier and cheaper, while we’ve also heard that other people would like less provision of cars in favour of active transport. Increasing the safety of cycleways, improving public transport systems and enhancing pedestrian access were suggested.

“Empty bike lanes and related narrowed streets, removal of street parking spaces, restricted road access, expensive private parking.”

“Still too many cars, needs more for cyclists and more crossing time at major intersections.”

“Easier and cheaper parking for cars, especially for people who would rather drive than take small children on public trains and trams.”

“While the rollout of bike lanes has been an impressive start, need to keep going to ensure there are connector lanes out to surrounding municipalities so that everyone can have the choice to commute by bike safely.”

We continue to implement the Transport Strategy 2030, including delivery of a protected bike lane network, station precincts as key gateways, little streets as streets for people, safer speed limits, micro mobility trials including e-scooters, more efficient traffic signal timing, developing an approach to support electric vehicles, bicycling encouragement programs and advocacy and implementation with the Victorian Government.

An Independent Transport Review anticipates that bike trips to the CBD will exceed pre-pandemic levels and recommends that the accelerated roll-out of new bike lanes continues.

Public amenities

• More amenities in the CBD including public toilets, seating, tables, drinking fountains, shelter and shading.
• Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see more amenities in the CBD including public toilets, seating, tables, drinking fountains, shelter and shading.

“Toilets and water taps to give dogs water or wash kids feet are a bit few and far between.”

“Missing some good clean public toilets”

“More seating is needed in Melbourne parks. More facilities also. Existing seating is also lacking shade. Benches are poorly positioned.”

“Now that weather is practically unpredictable, some shaded outdoor areas in parks and gardens would be beneficial.”

We are keen to understand more about where in the CBD you think there are opportunities and needs for further amenities.

Recreation facilities

• Recreation facilities and exercise options.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard a range of suggestions for recreation facilities and exercise options that people would like to see within and around the CBD.

“Adult exercise equipment in parks and below apartments. To be able to keep fit and independent when ageing. Multi-lingual instructions on equipment.”

“It would be great to have more gardens and safe, somewhat green running spaces for women to feel comfortable exercising outdoors.”

“Even in lockdown we found fantastic bike trails, parks and things to see and do. All family friendly.”

With a big focus on Active Melbourne, we support health and wellness through encouraging participation in healthy moderate physical activity. We are doing this through supporting recreation in our beautiful parks and gardens such as Alexandra Gardens and the Domain Parklands, Fitzroy Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens which surround and are walking distance from the Melbourne CBD. We have also extended our network of dedicated bike lanes to encourage more people to cycle.

We are currently undertaking refurbishment works at the Melbourne City Baths, which provides health and fitness services to the community. It has the largest swimming pool in the CBD, as well as a gym and a fitness studio. The Melbourne City Baths is a heritage building that continues to adapt for contemporary uses as we continue to develop new programs and activities.

The Active Melbourne app is the City of Melbourne’s official platform to support your health and fitness and includes on-demand and live virtual gym classes, tracking and personalised training programs. It is a free fitness service. Our website also has other training resources including Workout Wednesday videos.

Planning and development impacts

• Addressing planning, development and construction impacts.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see better communication on planning, development and construction impacts and have concerns about the abundance of high-rise construction.

“Skyscrapers compromise the city - especially access to sunlight. Dark and windy. Poor interface with ground floor.”

“City is expanding residential living and towers with little consideration of impacts to increased service requirements, disruption from noise as these service providers (waste, delivery etc suppliers) need to conduct their services during the night and disturbing residents.”

We’ve developed a Development Activity Model which provides a visualisation of future buildings in Melbourne.

Following extensive review and consultation, the new Code of Practice for Building, Construction and Works has been adopted and has come into effect from 17 March 2022.

The new Code coincides with the upcoming launch of City of Melbourne Services online, which will bring digital permits to construction activities at the end of March.

International students

• More support for our international students.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you’d like to know more about support that is available for international students.

"The rent for students is too high, there should be more cultural activities for people to go to"

“The students will be back so [Melbourne] will bounce back"

"Give better opportunities to new students"

We deliver a range of initiatives, including The Couch – International Student Centre in partnership with the Salvation Army, outings to attractions, events, behind-the-scenes tours and ticket giveaways through the Experience Melbourne program.

We also offer conversation clubs and many free items including books, eBooks, music and movie streaming from our libraries, along with wellness programs, and mentoring and workshops to help you get job-ready.

We are a collection point for the Melbourne International Student Guides and we’ve partnered with Insider Guides on the Lighthouse International Student Directory. We also offer a City of Melbourne international student newsletter which can be subscribed to here.

Off-leash area for dogs

• Increasing off-leash areas and education programs for responsible pet ownership.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that there has been an increase in pets including dogs within the CBD and heard that you would like to see more designated off-leash areas and access to water while maintaining safety and comfort for other park users. We’ve also heard that you’d like to have more education on responsible pet ownership, particularly in high-rise buildings.

“More drinking fountains for inner city dogs (CBD can get hot).”

“More community gardens and dog parks.”

“Many people got dogs during the pandemic but don’t seem to know how to care for them. We often have to clean up our common areas that are being used as toilets. We need support with education for high-rise pet-owners.”

We recently sought feedback from the community about dogs in open space and their views on proposed dog off-leash locations and we are currently exploring this and opportunities for education programs further.