17 Facts About Docklands Victoria

Site of modern-day Docklands Victoria was originally swamp land that in the 1880s became a bustling dock area as part of the Port of Melbourne, with an extensive network of wharfs, heavy rail infrastructure and light industry.

Docklands Victoria subsequently experienced an apartment boom and became a sought-after business address, attracting the national headquarters of, among others, the National Australia Bank, ANZ, Myer, Medibank, and the Bureau of Meteorology, as well as the regional headquarters for Ericsson, Bendigo Bank and television networks Channel Nine and Seven Network Broadcast Centre.

Docklands Victoria became notable during the 1990s for its underground rave dance scene.

Size of the Melbourne Docklands Victoria area meant that political influences were inescapable.

The Docklands Victoria project was on top of the government's agenda due to the poor condition of the wharf infrastructure, a further investment was required to initiate the project, which the government at the time could not afford.

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Nevertheless, the Docklands Victoria project stayed on the drawing board, but with little progress.

Nevertheless, the Committee For Melbourne's approach became the preferred model in the proceeding strategies for the Docklands Victoria development, leading to the formation of the Docklands Victoria Authority in July 1991.

Docklands Victoria then embarked on a multitude of projects, which included Docklands.

Docklands Victoria was divided into sections or precincts, which were to be tendered to private companies to be developed.

In 1997, the Docklands Victoria commission engaged architects Ashton Raggatt McDougall to design the Docklands Victoria masterplan.

On 1 July 2007 Docklands Victoria became part of the City of Melbourne Local Government Authority VicUrban retained planning authority until 2010.

In May 2017 Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Planning Minister Richard Wynne visited The District Docklands Victoria to announce a $150 million redevelopment of the centre including an eight-screen Hoyts cinema, which opened in 2018, and a full-line Woolworths supermarket due mid-2019.

Much of Docklands Victoria area remains covered by rail yards previously used for freight transport and rolling stock which are being progressively reclaimed or built over.

Trams in Docklands Victoria include the free City Circle tram, along Docklands Victoria Drive and to and from Waterfront City.

Docklands Victoria includes major pedestrian links with a concourse extending from Bourke Street and extensive promenades along the waterfront, including the wide Harbour Esplanade.

Problem was exacerbated in 2005, when the pedestrian link between Lonsdale Street and Docklands Victoria proposed in 2001 was cut from the final design of the Southern Cross Station development due to budget blowouts.

The Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, has been openly critical of Docklands Victoria, claiming in 2009 that it lacks any form of "social glue".