Melbourne Docklands
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| Docklands Melbourne, Victoria |
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 The Blowhole, an artpiece by Duncan Stemler, in Docklands Park |
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| Established: | 2000 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 3008 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 3 km² | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 2 km from Melbourne CBD | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | Docklands Authority | ||||||||||||
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The Melbourne Docklands is a new inner city suburb and urban renewal project in Melbourne, Australia. The district, built on former unused docks and begun in 2000 covers 3 km² and comprises 7 km of waterfront. When completed in 2015 this area is expected to almost double the size of the city's central business district. With a population primarily living in high-density highrise apartments, the suburb, the population is expected to reach 20,000 in 2015, and become home to over 25,000 office workers. The precinct is already a major tourist destination and Melbourne's tourist authorities anticipate over 20 million visitors per year in future years.
Melbourne Docklands is best known as home to the Telstra Dome, Southern Cross Station and a large number of modern buildings and eccentric public artworks.
It has become one of the city's most sought after business addresses, already attracting the Melbourne headquarters of the National Australia Bank, ANZ, AXA, Bendigo Bank, Medibank and the Bureau of Meteorology in campus style office buildings[1].
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[edit] History
With the advent of containerization in the shipping industry, the docks along the Yarra River east of the modern Bolte Bridge, and within Victoria Harbour immediately to the west of the central business district, became inadequate for the new container ships. The principal docking area shifted closer to the mouth of the Yarra, creating a vast amount of vacant inner-city land. In 1989 several architectural firms were invited to discuss how the area could best serve the Melbourne public. A set of design principles was established by the Docklands Authority, which intended to maintain the quality of the public domain. The commission to design the overall plan was granted to Ashton Raggatt McDougall by the Docklands Authority.
[edit] Districts
The area is broken up into a number of precincts, which are each being designed and built by a different development company.
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This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures. It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the building approaches completion. |
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[edit] Batman's Hill
The Batman's Hill precinct is a pivotal location within Docklands, adjacent to the western edge of the city and bordered by the Yarra River to the south, Spencer Street to the east, Telstra Dome to the north and Victoria Harbour to the west. The precinct is named after the historical landmark Batman's Hill, which was once situated within the area.
Batman's Hill is a mixed use precinct including commercial and retail space, entertainment, hotels, residential sections, restaurants and cultural sites. The area is 100,000 square metres. Collins Street extends into the precinct, providing businesses with frontage onto Melbourne's best known address.
More than half the precinct is already built, committed or under construction, and includes the Victoria Police headquarters (previously part of World Trade Centre, 3005), Watergate apartments, 700 Collins Street, 800 Collins Street, Village Docklands, Kangan Batman TAFE Automotive Centre for Excellence, Flinders Wharf Apartments and the Fox Classic Car Museum.
[edit] Stadium Precinct
Telstra Dome (originally Docklands Stadium then Colonial Stadium) was opened in March 2000 and since has established itself as a popular multi-purpose Melbourne entertainment destination. Great viewing positions, a weather-proof retractable roof, comfortable surroundings and social facilities cause the 52,000-seat stadium to often be filled to capacity at Australian Football League, other sports and concert events. The complex is managed by Stadium Operations Ltd, which is owned by the Seven Network.
[edit] Digital Harbour @ Comtechport
Digital Harbour is a slick, smart cutting-edge hub for entrepreneurs in modern technology. The waterfront location has an area of 44,000 square metres and will ultimately encompass nearly 220,000 square metres of commercial, residential office, SOHO units and retail space. The Innovation building accommodates companies and education bodies with a strong emphasis on research and development, incubation and the commercialisation of innovation products cross-pollinating ideas between Australia's brightest and best technology tenants.
The Hi-Tech Podium / Tower building is set to be home to some of Australia's finest blue chip technology-based companies and related service organisations, with completion expected in 2006.
[edit] Victoria Harbour
The Victoria Harbour Precinct is the centrepiece of Melbourne Docklands. The precinct features the extension of Collins and Bourke Streets to meet at the water's edge in the future. It has an area of 280,000 square metres with 3.7 kilometres of waterfront; the 12-year construction plans for Victoria Harbour include 2 x 100 residential apartments, commercial office space, retail space, community facilities and the development of public spaces such as Grand Plaza, Harbour Esplanade, Docklands Park and Central Pier.
Victoria Harbour features the colourful National Australia Bank headquarters, which accommodates approximately 3,600 staff. The building features large, open flexible floor plates, sunny atria in the heart of the building, a campus-style workplace and a four-star energy rating.
In September 2006, plans were unveiled for ANZ's new world headquarters to be located at Victoria Harbour. The complex will feature a vast low rise office building, shops, car parking facilities and a childcare center. The new complex will enable 5500 ANZ staff to work in one integrated area, however ANZ will maintain its flagship building, 100 Queen Street Melbourne. The new ANZ headquarters will be the largest office complex in Australia. Construction is set to commence late 2006 with completion expected in late 2008. The building will have a Collins Street address after the extension of Collins Street to meet Bourke Street is completed. In an Australian first, the new building will have an environment rating of at least 5 stars.
[edit] New Quay
Opened in 2002, New Quay is a residential development currently with five residential buildings. Looking at the development from the water, the buildings are the Nolan, Arkley, Palladio, Boyd, and Conder.
Curiously, the flagship building Palladio - which is shaped like the prow of a ship - is named after Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The rest are named after Australian artists: Sidney Nolan, Howard Arkley, Arthur Boyd, and Charles Conder.
[edit] Yarra's Edge
Yarra's Edge is a residential precinct, and the only Docklands precinct south of the Yarra River. When complete, it will consist of 11 apartment towers, costing AU$1.3 billion, and cover 0.15 km². The riverfront promenade incorporated into the development is an extension of the existing Southbank Promenade to the east.
Yarra's Edge was one of the first developments in the Docklands and is the only north facing precinct. Located south of the Yarra River and in close proximity to the city and St Kilda, Yarra's Edge features some of Melbourne's premium residential architecture and urban design.
The precinct currently comprises five completed apartment towers with gymnasium, a public promenade, Point Park (with an outlook towards the CBD) and mix of restaurants, cafes and retail including a day spa and convenience store. Yarra's Edge also has a 175-berth marina, giving boat owners previously unavailable proximity to Crown Casino and the city.
[edit] Southern Cross (previously Spencer Street) Station
[edit] Waterfront City
Waterfront City is a shopping and entertainment area that will include the planned ferris wheel. Shops and cafes will be centralised around this area.
The precinct on Victoria Harbour features an integration of retail, waterfront entertainment, tourism, dining, commercial and urban community. It has an area of 193,000 square metres.
Stage One was completed in December 2005 in time for the Melbourne Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race in January – February 2006 and the Commonwealth Games in March 2006.
The precinct currently features a large circus tent which hosts the International Circus Spectacular.
Waterfront City will also feature Australia's Olympic Winter Institute, a $60 million ice sports centre begins construction in 2006.
Stage Two includes plans for a world class public entertainment area incorporating the 120 metre high Southern Star Observation Wheel and an innovative, purpose-built, brand direct outlet centre, Harbour Town. Waterfront City will also feature restaurants, cafes, bars as well as cinemas, bowling and other family entertainment options.
[edit] Central City Studios
The site is close to the heart of Melbourne's vibrant CBD. It has an area of 60,000 square metres and currently consists of five purpose-designed, state of the art film and television sound stages of various sizes, from 743 to 2,323 square metres.
Eventually the Studios will include seven sound stages plus buildings to house art departments, wardrobe facilites, a construction workshop, production offices and storage. The Studios will cater for all forms of production including domestic and international television drama, TV commercials and film production and will achieve the Government's requirement of access for local production.
The first major contract for the new studios was the American film Ghost Rider; with a budget of nearly $120 million, it is the biggest feature film to be made in Victoria and features scenes involving Melbourne landmarks. Also to film at the new studios is the international production of Charlotte's Web, a film based on the book.
[edit] Docklands rave history
While the Docklands precinct is now a modern urban reconstruction zone, many of Melbourne's younger generation will remember the site as host to a number of dance parties hosted by Future Entertainment and Hardware Corporation during the 1990s.
DJs and performers such as Paul van Dyk, Carl Cox, Jeff Mills, Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Marshall Jefferson and BT headlined these events.
[edit] Photo gallery
 A panoramic view of Docklands and the Melbourne skyline from Waterfront City |
 A panorama of the Melbourne skyline and parts of Docklands from Yarra's Edge at twilight |
 A view of Melbourne Docklands from the Observation Deck at Rialto Tower |
[edit] References
- ^ ANZ deal sparks Docklands concern Article from The Age
[edit] External links
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- Street map from Street Directory, MSN Maps and Multimap.
- Satellite image from Google Maps, WikiMapia and Terraserver.
- Official website
- NewQuay website
- Waterfront City website
- Victoria Harbour website
- Yarra's Edge website
- Central City Studios website
- Digital Harbour website
- Victoria Online - Docklands Authority
| Suburbs of the City of Melbourne | |
|---|---|
|
Carlton | Carlton North | Docklands | East Melbourne | Flemington | Kensington | Melbourne CBD | North Melbourne | Port Melbourne | Parkville | Southbank | West Melbourne |
| Melbourne landmarks | |
|---|---|
| Buildings | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Royal Exhibition Building | Arts Centre Spire | Flinders Street Station | Federation Square | Crown Casino | Shrine of Remembrance | Luna Park | Sidney Myer Music Bowl | Rialto Towers | Melbourne Central | Queen Victoria Market |
| Precincts | Chinatown | Melbourne Docklands | Southbank | St Kilda |
| Nature and Parks |
Royal Botanic Gardens | Fitzroy Gardens | Birrarung Marr | Carlton Gardens |
| Cultural Institutions | Melbourne Zoo | Melbourne Museum | National Gallery of Victoria | Victorian Arts Centre | State Library of Victoria |
| Transportation | Tullamarine Airport | Southern Cross Station | Flinders Street Station |
