Are you interested in what could happen with Central Pier?

MMHN invites the Docklands community. 

In response to the Docklands precinct community’s interest, Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (MMHN) now invites you to join us at a presentation about our proposal to replace the demolished Central Pier with a large floating pontoon pier.

This pontoon pier would be constructed off-site without nuisance to residents. 

Come along at 5pm on Thursday November 14 to the City of Melbourne Waterways Lounge at level one, 120/439 Docklands Drive, near the corner of NewQuay, via a lift or stairs. Our proposal includes shared community facilities, as well as a Maritime Experience Centre surrounded by a promenade and with a Maritime Garden at its tip, overlooking Victoria Harbour.

RSVP by November 10 via email to [email protected]

Maritime Heritage at Docklands

At the aquatic heart of Docklands precinct, the 2024 Melbourne Boat Show proudly featured Maritime Heritage this year. Thanks to MMHN member and Boating Industry Association (Vic) CEO Steve Walker, the Boat Show this year provided a special opportunity to showcase the unique maritime status of the Docklands precinct.

Along the wharves of Victoria Esplanade, and on Victoria Harbour itself, the public had valuable access to information and conversations about the 17 Maritime Museums of Victoria dotted around Victoria’s coast, our stunning lighthouses, and the Wooden Boats Association.

We also had the rare opportunity to climb aboard several vessels in Melbourne’s heritage fleet. Finally in brilliant sunshine the 3rd annual MMHN and Offshore and Specialist Ships Australia presented the young maritime artists of Docklands Primary School with Maritime Art Awards on centre stage.

It was a memorable weekend for many on Victoria Harbour.

Bolte West Precinct Marine Services 

MMHN is pleased to report progress by the City of Melbourne on the long-awaited and desperately needed marine services depot on the Yarra River in the Bolte West precinct under the Bolte Bridge. Planning notices are on display at 208 Lorimer St.

The absence of such a depot has been a glaring deficit in the Docklands precinct from the outset, which is why MMHN list it as a major objective. See an outline on our MMHN website.

Melbourne at the 2024 International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM)

MMHN represented Melbourne at the recent 2024 International Congress of Maritime Museums held in two European port cities, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, comparable to Melbourne, which is Australia’s largest container port.

A total of 190 delegates from 50 countries attended the Congress, presenting a program encompassing many current global maritime industry issues, a “tsunami” of world’s best practice in relation to maritime heritage preservation, exhibition, ocean literacy, the Blue Economy, and decolonisation.

MMHN was buoyed and optimistic to find that the Melbourne “approach” and the MMHN “agenda” compares so favourably with organisations elsewhere, many of which enjoy centuries of maritime tradition, an abundance of maritime assets, and secure government support!

In 2026, the next ICMM conference will be held in Sydney at the Australian National Museum (ANMM). The Sydney conference program is to be devised by the ICMM itself, and MMHN is optimistic that it will have Australia-wide representation.

MMHN will be well-placed to share Melbourne’s rich but poorly acknowledged maritime heritage to a global as well as an Australia-wide audience.  •