Last year we asked how we might make Southbank neighbourhood the best it could be. From the 816 contributions received, these draft neighbourhood priorities were developed.
For the Wurundjeri, Bunurong, Taungurung, Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin, the place now known as Melbourne has always been an important meeting place and location for events of political, cultural, social and educational significance. We will ensure that the Traditional Owners’ culture, lore, knowledge, and heritage enrich the city’s growth and development.
What you told us
You value the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people’s ongoing cultural connection to Country and its significance in the development of the city. You would like this connection to be more visible through cultural appropriate signage, more cultural awareness education, native flora, placemaking and creative art initiatives.
“More political voice and space to Aboriginal community - through art installation, gallery, and museums.”
“Organise welcome to country events with a shared meal to strengthen community and knowledge of Australia's Aboriginal history.”
“Stop using colonial/settler names for places, streets, buildings etc and recognise the names used by the Traditional Owners.”
What we’re doing
Our Aboriginal Melbourne team monitors and reports on the City of Melbourne’s Reconciliation Action Plan and ensures it is recognised and supported through the organisation’s strategies and actions.
As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan 2021 - 2023 we are identifying and implementing opportunities for the dual naming of spaces to reflect Aboriginal cultural heritage.
We are partnering with the Victorian Government and other stakeholders to deliver specific components of Greenline along the north bank of the Yarra River Birrarung. The Greenline project builds on the Yarra River Birrarung Strategy 2019 that recognises the Yarra River Birrarung as a culturally significant place and major environmental asset.
We have also commenced a Cultural Values Assessment with Wurundjeri for the central city section of the Yarra River Birrarung. This includes the north bank extent of Greenline and the section of the south bank from Queens Bridge east to Alexandra Gardens.
This document will be a key tool for us to use with Wurundjeri to inform where and how culture and knowledge might be reflected in the experiences of the Yarra River Birrarung public spaces.
As part of the Yarra-Birrarung Strategy we are engaging with the Traditional Owners to ensure the Aboriginal culture of the Yarra River Birrarung is celebrated including the site of the Falls. This will involve an investigation of Aboriginal cultural opportunities for a memorable landscape or art installation at the site of the Falls on the Southbank side of the river and northside.
At this year’s narrm ngarrgu | Melbourne Knowledge Week we launched Mapping Aboriginal Melbourne a spatial mapping tool highlighting places and events of Aboriginal cultural significance within the city. An interactive map is located in Town Hall Commons and available in desktop and mobile versions. This educational resource has been developed with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and supports Council in placemaking and signage. The Map identifies a number of Aboriginal Places of Significance in the Southbank area.
We host the YIRRAMBOI Festival every second year, providing opportunities for Aboriginal artists to present their continuous and diverse contemporary practices.
If you want to get familiar with the living culture and Aboriginal history, use this reading list of books by Aboriginal and Torres Islander writers. You can borrow all the books from our libraries.
We will reduce economic and social inequality by ensuring universal access to housing, core services and information.
What you told us
Being active is important to your physical and mental health. You also see recreation as an opportunity to bring community together. To encourage these activities, you would like to see more recreation spaces, equipment, and programs for all ages. Suggestions included; a basketball court, tennis wall, outdoor gym, a kids’ playground and recreation programs.
“Multi-use sports pitches - I find it incredible that these have not been provided in the decades that Southbank has existed as a densely populated area.”
“There should be more sports teachers for kids to learn different sports including basketball, tennis, swimming, badminton.”
“Southbank desperately needs more playgrounds and ideally parks that are properly sheltered from cars. It would be great to have indoor play areas and meeting places for families and individuals for community building activities, including various games, such as table football, table tennis and board games."
What we’re doing
We are researching to better understand our current and future recreation facility needs in the Southbank area.
Our City Road Master Plan has identified Northern Undercroft as an opportunity for recreational space.
Our Active Melbourne App is free and includes on-demand and live virtual gym classes and tracking and personalised training programs.
We operate several recreation centres, offering a wide range of sports and recreational facilities and programs for people of all ages and fitness levels. You can also find out more information on sporting activities including cycling, walking, skating and more.
The nearest recreational facilities to Southbank are Riverslide Skate Park in the Alexandra Gardens and Melbourne Sports Centres (MSAC) in City of Port Phillip.
We will prioritise our environment and take urgent action to reduce emissions and waste in order to protect public health, strengthen the economy and create a city that mitigates and adapts to climate change. The City of Melbourne declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019.
What you told us
You would like to see more greening across the neighbourhood in public spaces and communal areas of residential buildings including rooftops. Several of you highlighted that you wanted to see more plants to help reduce noise pollution and provide a cooling green canopy effect.
“Improving the safety and wellbeing of the residents by planting trees wherever possible, literally covering almost every single street, preserving the existing mature trees, installing hedges or adding shrubs and flowers alongside trees on busy streets to beautify the area, to separate from the cars and reduce the noise pollution.“
“I think more needs to be done to balance the overwhelming number of high-rise developments in Southbank with the things necessary for residents such as open space, green space and community space. We have lost so much of our green space and so many trees in this area in recent years.”
“Retrofitted rooftop gardens on older buildings.”
What we’re doing
Our Nature in the City Strategy outlines how we will protect and enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity in our city.
The Urban Forest Strategy sets out principles and targets to help us achieve our vision of a healthy, resilient and diverse urban forest. One of our targets is to achieve 40% canopy cover by 2040 and to do this we are planting 3,000 trees every year. Find out more about Southbank Urban Forest Precinct Plan.
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.
Find out more about how to put green roofs, walls, and facades on your building, or how to start street gardens on nature strips. Find plants suitable for use in urban projects using our Urban Nature Planting Guide.
A guide to community gardens is available for people who want to start a community garden on land that the City of Melbourne owns or manages. To set up a community garden in a high rise residential building, Owners Corporations can apply to the Connected Community Grants program.
For Southbank Boulevard, our Urban Forest team is coordinating with Capital Works and City Design Studio to install a six metre Palm tree and additional trees to the Playspace. Approximately 300 new trees are being planted along the Southbank Boulevard meeting our biodiversity and urban forest targets.
What you told us
You’re interested in further promotion of composting, recycling, and renewable energy in the Southbank neighbourhood.
“Green bins in apartment complexes. Green waste is currently being placed in rubbish bins; this leads to methane emissions and the wastage of green waste that could have otherwise been recycled.”
“Recycling facilities and more compost gardens - so many other cities globally already have this and there's no reason Melbourne/Southbank wouldn't.”
What we’re doing
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. Find out more about Sustainability for Melbourne, our Climate Change Mitigation Strategy and some key programs and actions.
Liveability
We’re looking at ways we can further support our residents across Melbourne to make their homes more comfortable, healthy, affordable and environmentally sustainable to live in. Some resources are available for residents here. Sustainability Victoria also offers resources supporting transition to a circular, climate resilient economy.
Solar
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.
Composting
Our Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 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, through our food and garden organics (FOGO) collection service for single-unit and multi-unit dwellings up to five storeys. We will also be trialling textile bins and a food organics pilot in high-rise buildings. Residents can also access the compost revolution program.
Recycling
To prevent e-wastes going into landfill, we offer e-waste drop-off locations. You can drop off batteries at Boyd Community Hub, and other libraries. Find out more about how we support waste and recycling in apartment buildings.
We also support the idea of a circular economy and through leadership and community neighbourhood projects, including social enterprise grants, are reviewing a container deposit scheme, alternative waste technologies and developing circular economy guidelines.
What we’re doing next
Our next steps involve the development of Circular Economy Guidelines that will further support community projects and innovations that design out waste and promote repair, reuse and recycling.
As part of Victorian Government requirements, we’re considering glass recycling options including the possibility of communal centralised glass recycling options.
In the second half of 2022, a new high rise food organics pilot project is commencing in up to six buildings.
A second food organics collection pilot for residential high-rise buildings will be coming in 2023/24. Community consultation and an Expression of Interest to participate will open to residential high-rise buildings later in 2022.
Over the next two years, the food organic pilot programs will aim to explore the best method/s for organics collection in residential high-rise buildings before a service is rolled out to all residential buildings six stories and above.
We will focus on driving economic recovery and creating the conditions for a strong, adaptive, sustainable and thriving future city economy supported by a diverse mix of industries and jobs that provide dignity and opportunity.
What you told us
You told us that although you could walk everywhere in Southbank, you feel that the area is not very well supported by the existing transport network. Issues you mentioned include; the CBD is too close to pay full fare for a tram, and that private e-scooters cannot be legally used in the area. Also, without water transport, Yarra River can’t connect Southbank to other suburbs, and it is difficult to go from East to West and vice versa.
“More affordable river transport from Richmond-Southbank-Northbank-South Wharf-Docklands. Free tram as far as Crown/City Road. Free CBD buses.”
“Clear bike/scooter paths that separate pedestrians and vehicles, like along the Southbank Boulevard.”
“I’ve been using a privately owned electric scooter now for about four months and DESPERATELY need the rules changed around them. I feel like a criminal riding and following the same rules the lime and neuron ones have”.
What we’re doing
We continue to implement the Transport Strategy 2030, including delivery of a protected bike lane network, 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.
Through the City Road Master Plan, we are transforming City Road into a safe and welcoming place for everyone through a series of capital works projects. As part of the plan, we have constructed bike lanes on Southbank Boulevard, Kavanagh Street and Balston Street (connecting into City Road West).
What you told us
You would like a wider range of hospitality and retail businesses that attract locals and visitors, especially on City Road. You would like to enjoy spending more time in Southbank, rather than going out to South Melbourne or the CBD, due to the variety of options these areas offer you.
“I think just put some restaurants or shop (other than Woolies) so it's easy for people to eat. People don't need to go to city or somewhere for date."
“More local scale cafes/restaurants/retail to balance the high-rise.”
“I would like a larger variety of stores to be located here to bring in more people. Too many restaurants only bring in crowds for lunch and dinner and the rest of the time it's quiet.”
What we’re doing
Through our Business Precinct Program 2021-25 we provide annual financial support to precinct trader associations to improve the look and feel of their areas, help deliver local activations and marketing and promotion campaigns. The associations will also play a role in attracting businesses.
Our Business Concierge plays a key role in supporting prospective start-ups and businesses owners via our Business in Melbourne newsletter and other strategic communications.
We provide a range of support for businesses including: small business grants, mentoring, workshops, extended outdoor dining initiatives, regular newsletters, research and data sharing, and support for the night-time economy.
We will celebrate and protect the places, people and cultures that make Melbourne a unique, vibrant and creative city with world-leading liveability.
What you told us
You would like more green and open spaces where community members can relax and enjoy the facilities. You would like these spaces to have improved amenities such as seating, shading, bins, clean public toilets, and family friendly playgrounds.
“More greenery and mini parks that are gated for children. A gate does not always need to remind you of a prison, there are beautiful ways to gate areas and protect little ones from the busy traffic of Southbank.”
“Transform Queensbridge Square into a community friendly space. It is a big space used by pedestrians and cyclists where locals could gather, but at the moment it has no seating and no reasons for people to stop.”
“Picnic facilities, places where small groups and families can gather, with tables and seating, access to clean water and public toilets.”
What we’re doing
A Major Initiative of the Council Plan 2021 - 2025 is to increase open space with $20 million allocated for the purposes of acquiring public open space in Southbank.
We have also developed an Open Space Strategy to meet the needs of the growing and changing residential and worker population across the entire municipality, and to respond to issues such as climate change.
What you told us
We’ve heard that there has been an increase in pet ownership, especially dogs in Southbank. You’d like to see more designated off-leash areas, pet services, and responsible pet owner education while maintaining safety and comfort for other park users.
“Safe, fenced, off-leash dog park with grass and bins. Nicer one than the one under Kings Way.”
“Dog ownership is overwhelming, particularly after COVID-19. We MUST have more facilities both for children and for our canine friends.”
“Integrating more dog friendly places and activities such as restaurants, cafes, and dog parks.”
What we’re doing
Our Domestic Animal Management Plan 2017–21 commits us to review available off-leash areas and make sure dog owners are considered in planning for future public open space. We are planning for the growing number of dogs in our city and have had community consultations from all park users on how we should do this.
We resolved to make a municipal order for dog off-leash areas and dog controls on 28 June 2022. The order will come into effect upon publication in the Victoria Government Gazette. The order will include some new locations and arrangements for dog off-leash activity within the City of Melbourne. Locations where off-leash activity is currently not permitted will become available for use after the gazettal process is complete.
The nearest off-leash areas for residents in Southbank is the new dog park on the Kings Way and Moray Street Reserve and the lawns of Point Park which is available from 6pm to 8am from 1 November to 31 March and from 5pm to 9am, from 1 April to 31 October.
Find out more information about walking your dogs in the neighbourhood.
What you told us
You told us that the key characteristic of Southbank is rapid urbanisation. You have concerns about the abundance of high-rise construction and its impact on the liveability of residents. You want Southbank to be recognised as a residential area with less development, more regulation, better parking facilities and community spaces.
“The number of people living in Southbank has increased exponentially. Our roads and parking have not kept up with this growth, much less what’s to come in the next few years once even more approved developments are completed. Congestion on the roads is already a big issue. Residents also need to have access to free parking in the area so that people can host visitors and that our homes can be used as more than just places for us to sleep.”
“Stop building apartments that are not liveable. They are too small. It is not a house. Don't approve unliveable housing. Conditions of living is getting worse. More regulation for apartments for better living condition.”
“Any new developments need to consider their effect on overshadowing and wind - Southbank is unbearable windy and hot now due to the tunnels created by over construction and concrete."
What we’re doing
We’ve developed a Development Activity Model which provides a visualisation of future buildings in Melbourne to keep you updated.
Following extensive review and consultation, the new Code of Practice for Building, Construction and Works has been adopted and came into effect from 17 March 2022. The new Code coincides with the recent launch of City of Melbourne Services online, which brings digital permits to construction activities. Further information on Building and Development can be found here: Building and Development - City of Melbourne
We are also advocating to the State Government for stronger regulations on managing construction noise.
What you told us
You told us you are proud of the Arts Precinct, and you’d like to see more arts and cultural activities for both visitors and residents. This includes more events, spaces, and support for community art activities.
“The unique identity of the Arts Precinct could be further developed and extended across Southbank and the surrounding parks by including more public art that would be accessible to everyone. Make the area more enjoyable, by supporting more grassroots art and culture, by hosting free or affordable concerts and events, by having more initiatives from the existing cultural institutions that could host locals’ nights, workshops and so on."
“We like the idea of small scale, low cost, any type (Arts spaces, street performance/juggling, music, craft, etc). We'd love the arts to be very universal - more grassroots so that this area is not just about high arts.”
“Drop-in art space that is available to the community in a flexible way. Not a space that could be booked long term for months at a time, like the CoM Creative Space initiative, but more of a drop-in centre or a space in which equipment or a small section could be booked for an afternoon.”
What we’re doing
We play an important role in the arts, fostering creative experimentation by encouraging and funding artists, promoting participation, and bringing art and people together. We support arts and cultural activities in Southbank in many ways.
We deliver some of the Christmas Festival in Southbank and music events as part of On the Road again and Music in the City with pop up celebrity performances.
We are presenting multiple premier events with extensive free programming throughout the year, including New Year’s Eve, Christmas Festival, Moomba, Melbourne Music Week, Melbourne Fashion Week, narrm ngarrgu Melbourne Knowledge Week and YIRRAMBOI.
Several events supported through the Event Partnership Program (EPP) and are held in Southbank including: Kids Summer Festival and Kids Exhibitions, Queer, Kids Day Out, Southbank, Community Day and Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Festival. You can find out more about current events at What’s On page.
Our Arts Grants are available to artists and small to medium arts organisations from all backgrounds and abilities. Through these grant programs we’re supporting local artists across the city including people living in and presenting their work in and around Southbank.
The Creative Spaces website is a free resource for artists and creative industries that connects artists and creative practitioners with spaces, promotes artists and their work, and provides an index of live and virtual events.
What we’re doing next
YIRRAMBOI First Nations Festival in May 2023 - this biennial festival takes place for ten days predominantly in the CBD and Southbank.
What you told us
You want Southbank to be recognised as a residential suburb, not a thoroughfare or a sterile concrete jungle. You want the streets to be inviting, pleasant, and community friendly.
“Getting vacant buildings such as old Queensbridge Hotel used or turned into public space, improvement of unused space, for example under Kings Way."
“More clean facilities - rubbish bins are dirty. Council is not properly cleaning the street.”
“Public toilets are required here; they use the restaurants toilets but there should be more access to toilets."
“Looking drab and in need of freshening up.”
What we’re doing
We are working on the City Road Master Plan to transform City Road into a safe and welcoming place for everyone through a series of capital works projects. The Plan aims to improve the safety and amenity of the street to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport. As part of the City Road Master Plan, the intersection of City Road and Southbank Boulevard has been upgraded.
We empty and clean bins in public areas and do this more often when big events are on. There are almost 450 solar smart bins, 230 public recycling bins, 2000 public litter bins and 500 cigarette butt bins around the City of Melbourne. If you notice any problems, please report a bin issue.
Major roads such as City Road, Southbank Promenade, and Southbank Boulevard are cleaned every day, medium streets are cleaned a couple of times a week, and residential streets are cleaned once a week. You can report a street cleaning issue anytime.
We repair and maintain street furniture and drains, too. You can also report issues related to street repair and maintenance.
We are committed to maintaining beautiful clean streets and getting everyone involved with reducing litter. We also remove graffiti and in early 2022, we carried out a Graffiti blitz in all neighbourhoods. You can report graffiti for removal anytime.
What we’re doing next
We are keen to look at opportunities to provide further amenities to assist workers, residents and visitors participate safely and comfortably in activities.
We will plan and design for the safety and wellbeing of those who live, visit, work and do business in Melbourne, regardless of their background.
What you told us
You told us that the streets are not pedestrian-friendly. You want more pedestrian crossings, longer crossing times to give people more time to cross safely, lower speed limits on the main roads for cars, and bikes and e-scooters to be removed from the footpaths.
“Traffic lights length - so many of green lights for pedestrians last for approximately ten seconds on large roads making it impossible for people to cross without the light turning red.”
“City Road, which runs right through the middle of the area, needs to be more suburban and less like a major highway."
“Power and City Road to be safer. There are City Road crashes, and trucks are problems.”
“Less bikes mixing with pedestrians, they are a safety hazard to the pedestrians.”
What we’re doing
We continue to implement the Transport Strategy 2030, including the delivery of a protected bike lane network, 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.
Through our City Road Master Plan, we are transforming City Road into a safe and welcoming place for everyone through a series of capital works projects. It will achieve urban forest and water sensitive urban design objectives, while helping to respond to the urban heat island affect and flooding issues in Southbank. It also aims to improve the safety and amenity of the street in order to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport.
As part of the City Road Master Plan, we are working closely with the Department of Transport and State Government to improve safety at the intersection of City Road and Power Street and a short-term solution is already in place. In July 2021, the State Government committed $2.5 million to upgrade the intersection.
What you told us
You told us that traffic noise particularly from trucks and heavy vehicles is a concern especially for residents. You would like more traffic management initiatives to help with this and to increase your sense of safety and wellbeing.
“The number one thing that needs to be changed as a matter of urgency and safety is the removal of heavy vehicles.”
“Traffic management needs a complete overhaul. Traffic congestion and noise along City Road has got significantly worse since I moved in 10+ years ago. Primarily from trucks and motorbikes. Cars regularly run red lights at pedestrian crossings on City Road making it unsafe to cross with children. Due to inclusion of bike lanes and reduced lanes on side roads, traffic now uses back streets of Southbank causing even more congestion and making it difficult for pedestrians to cross without lights/more pedestrian crossings."
“Need sound barriers to mask traffic noise along major roads Kings Way, City Road, etcetera.”
What we’re doing
We’re exploring new technology to better manage parking spaces and are also looking to develop a new parking plan for our city.
We support reducing truck traffic and reducing overall traffic volumes for the benefit of the community. In the short to medium term we are advocating our concerns to State road authorities, with a long term desire to capitalise on West Gate Tunnel works to help reduce traffic volumes through the central city, and encourage greater use of bypass routes.
What you told us
You said you don’t always feel safe in the area and would like to see further safety measures to help address this. Your suggestions include; an increased police and security presence, better lighting in the streets, and more CCTV, to especially help with issues relating to anti-social behaviour and people who are experiencing homelessness.
“Information about police service - I don't even know where police station is.”
“Good police presence and more CCTV.”
“Safety is an issue. More active police presence needed. Issues with intoxicated people coming in store. Cops are coming too late.”
What we’re doing
We are working closely with Victoria Police on the Neighbourhood Policing Initiative.
To help people who are sleeping rough in the area, we have a specialised team supporting them to find permanent pathways out of homelessness. We are the first council in Victoria to have an in-house outreach program for rough sleepers.
Our Affordable Housing Strategy 2020-2030 commits us to providing more affordable housing in the municipality which will be coordinated through our Homes Melbourne initiative.
We also provide a free syringe collection service to ensure that needles and syringes are disposed of safely.
What you told us
You would like to see more casual spaces in Southbank to activate and foster community connections. These spaces could be indoor or outdoor, affordable and open to anyone to drop in without making a booking. You also want more community activities to enable people to connect with one another and a centralised place to share community information.
“...the need for a space that was available to the community in a flexible way. Not a space that could be booked long term for months at a time, like the CoM Creative Space Initiative, but more of a drop-in centre or space in which equipment or a small section could be booked for an afternoon.”
“Connecting after COVID-19. Events like street parties."
“Centralised place for all information - information in Southbank community is fragmented, incomplete, a lot happening, and we don't know about it.”
What we’re doing
We provide community and meeting spaces for hire and community events at the Boyd Community Hub in Southbank.
We support community organisations and projects through Connected Community Grants and Connected Neighbourhoods Small Grants programs.
The changing nature of work has seen an immediate demand for a more flexible work life. Coworking spaces are a perfect solution to this and we are supporting this start-up ecosystem through programs and initiatives.
Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners
The City of Melbourne respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land we govern, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge and honour the unbroken spiritual, cultural and political connection they have maintained to this unique place for more than 2000 generations.
We accept the invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and are committed to walking together to build a better future.
