New pocket park installed at Yanonung Quay

A new parklet donated to the City of Melbourne by the state government’s Metro Tunnel Creative Program has been installed at Yanonung Quay in Docklands to help “deliver immediate beautification”.

The council said the initiative was in direct response to one of the key actions culminating from last year’s Docklands Summit, which called for fast solutions to green and beautify Docklands, particularly surrounding Victoria Harbour.

As part of the project, the components of a pocket park have been relocated from the Albert Road Reserve in South Melbourne to Yanonung Quay, while 10 underutilised planter boxes were brought from elsewhere in the city to Harbour Esplanade and NewQuay Promenade. 

“The Docklands Summit was an important event for our city, offering a chance to reset the conversation and discuss ideas to revitalise the precinct,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.

“We’re listening to the local community and delivering on our commitment to beautify Yanonung Quay [and so] attracting more visitors to Docklands to support local businesses.”  

“This pocket park provides additional landscaping and seating for visitors – whether you’re waiting for the ferry and enjoying waterside views or stopping by for a coffee to admire the quirky Cow Up a Tree artwork.”  

Located along Harbour Esplanade, Yanonung Quay is a recently upgraded wharf home to the Port Phillip Ferries passenger terminal and café. Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece has previously predicted that the wharf could be become “a world-famous location” in Melbourne as well as Australia’s busiest commuter port by 2030 when Melbourne is predicted to overtake Sydney as the nation’s largest city.

The council’s environment portfolio lead Cr Rohan Leppert said it was “fantastic to see the continued transformation of Docklands with the reinvigoration of Yanonung Quay”.

“We know the Docklands community want more green and open space to enjoy. That’s why we’ve worked with the Metro Tunnel creative program to rehome their award-winning Albert Road Reserve pocket park to Yanonung Quay,” he said.

Update on Central Pier imminent

Meanwhile next to Yanonung Quay, the community continues to await updates on the future of Central Pier from its owner Development Victoria.

Having been shut down amid safety concerns in 2019, the pier, which was once a major events capital for Melbourne supporting 1300 jobs, has remained closed while legal, heritage and demolition issues are resolved.

Development Victoria staged a community engagement process in late 2022 but has yet to release its findings as part of the next stage in helping determine the pier’s future.

Docklands News understands that the community’s feedback is expected to released for further consultation this month as part of a report which will help outline next steps for the pier’s renewal.

Long-awaited demolition works by contractor Fitzgerald Construction Australia are now under way, with the delicate process of preserving the pier’s heritage assets meaning the process could take up to two years to complete. •