18 Facts About Melbourne Docklands

Site of modern-day Docklands 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.

Melbourne Docklands 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.

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

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

The Melbourne Docklands 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 Melbourne Docklands 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 development, leading to the formation of the Docklands Authority in July 1991.

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

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

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

Stadium Precinct, which sits on the eastern edge of Docklands, consists of Docklands Stadium, Seven Network's Melbourne digital broadcasting centre, Victoria Point, Bendigo Bank offices and Quest serviced apartments.

In May 2017 Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Planning Minister Richard Wynne visited The District Melbourne Docklands 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 Melbourne Docklands area remains covered by rail yards previously used for freight transport and rolling stock which are being progressively reclaimed or built over.

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

Melbourne Docklands 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 Melbourne Docklands proposed in 2001 was cut from the final design of the Southern Cross Station development due to budget blowouts.

In 2008, the City of Melbourne released a report which criticised Docklands' lack of transport and wind tunnel effect, lack of green spaces and community facilities.

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