New Docklands Station under Metro 2 plans, but what about Yarra’s Edge?

The state government has revealed its preferred route for the long-awaited Metro 2 underground train to Fishermans Bend, but locals in Yarra’s Edge are pushing for the inclusion of a dedicated station of their own.

On June 8, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) announced that it had endorsed a preferred route for a possible future rail tunnel through Fishermans Bend and Docklands.

In a surprise move away from the route previously mooted under the 2018 Fishermans Bend Framework, the new plans include a dedicated station for Docklands at Bourke St next to Marvel Stadium.

Under the previous route, the Metro 2 project, which will connect Clifton Hill to Newport via Fishermans Bend, was proposed to travel underneath Wurundjeri Way with an underground station constructed parallel to Southern Cross Station.

But under the government’s endorsed plans revealed in June, commuters will travel from the soon-to-open Parkville Station to Docklands before continuing to new stations in Fishermans Bend’s Sandridge (Fennel St) and employment precincts (Salmon St).

The news has been widely welcomed by various stakeholders in Fishermans Bend, Australia’s largest urban renewal project estimated to host 80,000 residents and 80,000 workers by 2050, despite Metro 2 expected to take some decades to complete.

While also welcoming the DTP’s announcement, Yarra’s Edge Action Group chair Keith Sutherland said, “it’s such a pity an underground station was not proposed at Yarra’s Edge in the Lorimer Precinct.”

The group led by Mr Sutherland has long opposed the state government’s plans for a tram bridge over the Yarra River between Collins and Hartley streets, arguing that a new Lorimer train station would nullify the need for the “destructive” bridge proposal.

“I have been suggesting the continuation of Metro 2 for some years instead of the ridiculous, expensive, and destructive tram bridge proposal over the Yarra from Collins St to Lorimer St,” Mr Sutherland said.

“The only sensible proposal is the current one, which will provide up to 1200 passengers to the Fishermans Bend renewal area. The maximum amount trams can carry [is] approximately 220 people.”

Yarra's Edge residents gather at Point Park in June. Photo: Hanna Komissarova.

A DTP spokesperson didn’t respond to questions raised by Docklands News regarding whether a new station would be considered for Yarra’s Edge or in the Lorimer Precinct, only saying the preferred route and station locations were now confirmed.

“As Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct, Fishermans Bend is targeted to accommodate 80,000 residents, 80,000 jobs and deliver 37,000 dwellings by 2050 and we’re working with the community and industry to activate the precinct,” a DTP spokesperson said.

“With an eye on the future, we’re continuing to refine plans for Fishermans Bend, including investments in public transport, to ensure we can meet the needs of the community for decades to come.”

However, with the University of Melbourne due to open its new engineering and design campus at the former General Motors Holden (GMH) site in 2026, the government remains under pressure to deliver a new tram service to the area.

In June, the City of Melbourne reiterated its desire to see the rail network extended between Fishermans Bend and the CBD, listing it as a priority as part of its 2024-25 advocacy plan.

While the tram bridge is included in the Melbourne Planning Scheme under the Fishermans Bend Framework, the DTP also didn’t answer questions from Docklands News regarding whether it was proceeding with the plans.

Instead, the DTP said it recognised the important role that trams played in meeting the travel needs of people living in Melbourne’s suburbs and was continuously reviewing the entire tram network.

It added that as the state continued to grow, it would be important to plan for a second cross-city tunnel to unlock network capacity in growing parts of the state to the west and north-east.

In the meantime, the government has focused its efforts on boosting buses to Fishermans Bend, having added almost 1500 extra services a week to the precinct since 2022.

This includes the delivery of more weekday services on Bus Routes 235 and 237, to provide a turn-up-and-go 10-minute frequency across the day on weekdays, on average, to connect Fishermans Bend with the CBD. In May, Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams announced Route 606 Elsternwick Station to Fishermans Bend bus services would also operate for longer all week.

While also welcoming the government’s announcement of its preferred Metro 2 alignment, City of Port Phillip Cr Marcus Pearl said he remained deeply frustrated by the “agonisingly slow pace” for funding “this critical initiative”.

Cr Pearl also said he was disappointed that the plans excluded a Plummer St alignment for a Port Melbourne Station, which would have “ensured that thousands of residents had access to efficient public transport”.

“While there is still a long way to go in bringing Metro 2 to fruition, I harbour significant doubts about the state government’s ability to fund such an enormous project,” Cr Pearl said.

“The current state economy and budgetary constraints pose serious challenges to securing the necessary investment for Metro 2. It is imperative that we see not just plans and promises, but concrete actions and financial commitments to ensure this project doesn’t remain a mere aspiration but becomes a reality for Melbourne’s future.”  

“I call upon the state government to fund the project fully and ensure that the necessary planning and overlay covenants are put in place to protect where the train stations are proposed to be located. Only through real action can we secure the long-term benefits of Metro 2 for our community and city.” •