State agencies continue to fall short – Docklands deserves better

Three State Government agencies – Parks Victoria (PV), Melbourne Water (MW), and Development Victoria (DV) – continue to fall short in their obligations to the Docklands community.

Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (MMHN) calls out two persistent failures; the ongoing mismanagement of litter in Victoria Harbour and Development Victoria’s inadequate response to the heritage conditions attached to the demolition of Central Pier.

Litter in Victoria Harbour: a funded responsibility being ignored

Litter in Victoria Harbour is not a trivial matter. Parks Victoria is the primary agency funded to remove floating litter from the Birrarung/Yarra River and Victoria Harbour. Melbourne Water shares this responsibility. Neither agency is fulfilling it.

In March 2026, the state government announced a $19.2 million environment package to revitalise rivers and waterways. In April 2026, Minister Harriet Shing was appointed Minister for Water, a role she held from 2022 to 2024. MMHN welcomes this renewed focus, but the fundamental problem remains; both state agencies focus on trapping litter upstream, while litter already in our waterways continues to accumulate unchecked. What we see with our own eyes in Victoria Harbour tells us that the current approach is not working.

MMHN strongly supports Docklands resident Harvey Cleggett, who has researched this litter issue thoroughly and proposed a cost-effective strategy to address the problem directly. Regrettably, his proposals appear to have encountered the deflection and delay that is all too familiar when dealing with these state agencies. It is telling that private investors have shown more genuine appreciation for the value of our waterways than the public bodies charged with protecting them.

MMHN also recalls PV’s extraordinary response when we previously complained about overflowing litter traps in prominent locations. Rather than address the problem, PV claimed the overflow “served to educate the public” about litter. This kind of bureaucratic disrespect and complacency is precisely what Minister Shing should closely scrutinise before committing further public funds.

MMHN urges the community to write directly to Minister Shing, the CEO of Parks Victoria, and the CEO of Melbourne Water to raise concerns and ensure this longstanding litter issue receives the attention it deserves.

Questionable Heritage Interpretation – Echo in Victoria Harbour

DV’s record in Docklands has long been a source of frustration – the eviction of the Heritage Fleet, the neglect of wharves beneath Collins Wharf, and the protracted neglect leading to the demolition of Central Pier are well documented DV failures. This pattern is continuing.

The heritage-listed waterways of Victoria Harbour have suddenly been intentionally littered by the Echo installation; a large cluster of hundreds of white plastic floating cones bobbing around where Central Pier once stood.

MMHN views this installation as a misguided expenditure of an undisclosed amount enabled by a regrettable quirk in Heritage Victoria’s Demolition Permit process which required Central Pier be appropriately “referenced” so that the public remains aware of its significant heritage value. The permit also allowed DV to submit a variation which regrettably meant HV assesses its merit. This process is flawed.

This echo of Central Pier will not attract visitors and will obviously not provide the economic activation once delivered through Central Pier. DV appears not to have considered the practical issues likely to arise with Echo, including its negative impact on recreational boating, the risk of litter snagging on the cones, and the possibility of the cones themselves becoming hazards.

Communication from DV has been non-existent. This is clearly no way to manage the heritage-listed asset of Victoria Harbour which is one of Melbourne’s most unique precincts. Community3008 did not provide clarity on this matter.

A clear ask

This brings us back to familiar territory; DV’s obligation to Docklands is not yet fulfilled. As the responsible state agency, DV is required to provide genuine vision for its future, one that takes heritage seriously, delivers permanent meaningful public activation, and treats the community with respect rather than an afterthought. MMHN has outlined a proposal which is an opportunity to build that future. See docklandsnews.com.au/momentum-building-for-harbour-esplanade-revitalisation-project

MMHN calls on Development Victoria to:

• Publish a clear explanation of how Echo genuinely satisfies the original Heritage Victoria Demolition Permit conditions.
• Engage the community and heritage stakeholders in developing a credible, long-term plan for maritime heritage interpretation at Docklands.
• Treat the new residential developments as an opportunity to invest in and seriously engage with permanent precinct activation to benefit the existing community.

MMHN remains committed to advocating for the Docklands community and Melbourne’s maritime heritage, and to ensuring that Victoria Harbour receives the recognition and value it deserves.

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