Events for your Diary

March
  • Sat 16, 9:30-10:30am: Love our Streets, meeting at Edwards Park, corner of Dow & Liardet Streets
  • Thu 21, 6pm: BCNA Community Dinner

  • April
  • Sat 6, 9-10am: Beach Patrol, meeting at Princes Pier
  • Sat 20, 9:30-10:30am: Love our Streets, meeting at 109 tram terminus

  • May
  • Sat 4, 9-10am: Beach Patrol, meeting at Centenary Bridge Pylon between Station Pier and Port Melbourne Yacht Club
  • Sat 18, 9:30-10:30am: Love our Streets, meeting at Olive’s Corner, corner of Bay & Liardet Streets
  • Latest News

    You can use the search options at lower right to find specific items.

    Friday 30 October 2015

    Port of Melbourne News

    Port Open Day Boat Tours 

    These are set to return for a limited summer season commencing in November, so don’t miss out on your chance for a behind the scenes look at the Port of Melbourne.  Departing from Williamstown in the morning and Docklands in the afternoon, Port Open Day tours are free, family friendly events, and the best way to see Australia’s busiest container port like never before.

    The first tour day for the summer is Sunday, 29 November (bookings open 9 am on Monday 9 November), with more tours scheduled for February and April 2016.

    These tours tend to book out in the first few hours, so be sure to get in early.  For more information and all tour dates, visit the boat tour webpage.

    Cruise Ships for the Cup

    While Flemington gears up for a busy Melbourne Cup Carnival, final preparations are also underway at Station Pier for a huge weekend of cruise shipping.  It all kicks off on 2 November with the arrival of the Carnival Spirit, followed by three thoroughbreds from the P&O stable; Pacific Pearl, Pacific Jewel, and Pacific Dawn.  So it's going to busy around Station Pier next week.

    Monday 26 October 2015

    Webb Dock Works - Todd Road Closure 6-9 November

    Please don't forget the planned Todd Road closure over the weekend 6 to 9 November.  Details can be downloaded here.

    This week's Webb Dock works notice can be downloaded here - there's not much new this week.

    Invitation for Expressions of Interest for the Toward Zero Community forum

    The City of Port Phillip is inviting Expressions of Interest for the new 'Toward Zero Community Forum'.

    The Toward Zero Community Forum will enable our community to work together with Council on solutions to complex environmental problems to help address the Toward Zero community targets.
    Toward Zero is Council's Sustainable Environmental Strategy which sets Council and Community targets to achieve by 2020 which can be viewed here.

    Expressions of Interest will be accepted until 5pm the 6 November 2015.

    In order to ensure that the Toward Zero Community Forum achieves its purpose, Council is asking applicants to:

    • demonstrate action in the area of sustainability
    • demonstrate skills, qualifications and knowledge in the area of sustainability

    In selecting Community members, Council will seek to:

    • achieve a mix of skills relevant to the purposes of the forum
    • ensure a broad representation of the Port Phillip community

    More information about the forum and Expressions of Interest can be submitted here.

    Wednesday 21 October 2015

    Multicultural Arts Victoria Station Pier Activities

    We have just been informed of the following Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) activities at Station Pier over the next month:

    Fridays until 13 November, 6pm-7.30pm - Friday Night Buskers

    Enjoy an evening by the beach and watch the sun set at Beacon Cove to the sublime sounds of Boadz and Amadou Suso. Pull up on a patch of grass as these musical masters fill our exciting Pop Up space with blues guitar and traditional kora music from Senegambia. Amadou Suso: 23 October and 6 November.  Boadz: 30 October and 13 November.

    Saturday 24 Oct (this Saturday) 11am-3pm - The Artful Ark

    In their Artful Ark Melbourne based artists, Kate Gorringe-Smith and Helen Kocis Edwards display their menagerie of prints. This collection of witty and beautiful images of birds and animals will inspire and entertain. Come and have your photo taken with a person-sized pair of wings (try them on for size!) and tell us where your wings would take you. Or sit down and draw with the artists. A range of prints and cards are for sale.

    Saturday 31 Oct, 11am-3pm - Drumming and Pets & Owners Portraits

    Asanti Dance Theatre – Drumming Workshops - Asanti Dance Theatre will host a 10-15min drumming workshop by gold coin donation. They will also be selling clothes and items that from their artists in Ghana, West Africa. 

    Pets and Owner portraits with Michael Fikaris and Ben Hutchings - Got 20 minutes? Sit for your portrait on archival paper by Michael Fikaris AND have your pet drawn live by Ben Hutchings. $20 each or $30 for both signed and put into plastic slip ready to gift or frame as an A4 illustration. Bookings at office@multiculturalarts.com.au or 9188 3681.

    Saturday 7 Nov, 11am-3pm - Pets & Owner Portraits & Fabric-ation of a Body 

    Pets and Owner portraits with Michael Fikaris and Ben Hutchings (description as above listing).

    Drawing and printings by Katherine Gailer and Maria Peña - see small format drawings and digital prints of Katherine Gailer’s paintings and etching, collage and dry point by Maria Peña. “Fabric-ation of a Body” by Maria Peña will feature sculptural body pieces made on fabric installed against one wall of the container and video projection of moving images onto the pieces. Kids can also get their face painted with a tribal design. 

    Saturday 14 Nov, 11am-4pm - Live Readings from “2015-16 What Happened at the Pier #2” 

    Join in this special event featuring Helen Said, Sabi Buehler and other memory keepers sharing their stories and migrant histories coming to Australia via ship at Station and Princes Pier. Their stories come from MAV’s “2015-16 What Happened at the Pier” project curated by Lella Cariddi. The live readings will be held in front of MAV’s Painting the Port exhibition on four shipping containers at Station Pier that have been transformed by artists Michael Fikaris and Ero, for ArtContained presented by the City of Port Phillip.

    Ministerial Report on Fishermans Bend Released

    The Fishermans Bend Ministerial Advisory Committee (FBAC) report was released yesterday and can be found at http://www.mpa.vic.gov.au/fishermansbend.

    BCNA committee members are involved with the South Port Urban Responsible Renewal (SPURR) alliance and more details about this group and what it is doing can be found in Monday's post on this site.

    Monday 19 October 2015

    Fishermans Bend Redevelopment

    Many of you will be aware that major redevelopment of Fishermans Bend has been proposed and/or is under way. The BCNA has received many queries along the lines of "what's happening?" and "how will this affect us in Beacon Cove?".

    The BCNA has been working to get information so we can answer these questions and Bill Fisher and Roger Joyce have volunteered considerable amount of time and effort to get to the bottom of things. Here is their report on the current situation.

    Community groups in the South Melbourne and Port Melbourne areas have formed an alliance to voice concerns about the redevelopment of Fishermans Bend. The alliance is known as South Port Urban Responsible Renewal (SPURR). SPURR’s objective is a liveable Fishermans Bend. BCNA has joined this group which includes resident associations, sporting clubs, schools, and business groups.

    A major concern is the fact that decisions are being made on the redevelopment proposals by the Minister, the City of Port Phillip and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) while a strategic review is underway. Ideally, there should be a “moratorium” on planning applications until the planning review is completed and decisions announced on transport and other community facilities. Another concern is the rezoning of the area to the Capital City Zone which removed 3rd party rights of notification and appeal which allows affected parties to object to planning applications.

    Representatives from SPURR have met Martin Foley (local member for Albert Park and Minister for Creative Industries, Minister for Housing, and Minister for Disability and Ageing), City of Port Phillip Councillors and staff, and the chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Fishermans Bend redevelopment to voice our concerns.

    The City of Port Phillip considered its priorities for Fishermans Bend redevelopment at its meeting on Tuesday 13th October 2015. At the urging of SPURR, Council amended their priorities to incorporate SPURR’s priority of acquiring land for public use. SPURR representatives will meet Council staff and relevant authorities to discuss how this can be made to happen. 

    Port Melbourne Waterfront Activation Plan

    Many of you have probably heard of the Port Melbourne Waterfront Activation Plan but some of you, like me, may have not had much idea of what it actually was.

    So Van Le-Hugh from the City of Port Phillip has kindly provided this brief overview for us.

    In 2012, local residents BCNA and businesses brought to Council’s attention a noticeable lack of vitality in the activity centre including Beach St and Port Melbourne waterfront. From this an extensive community consultation process took place and the three strategic directions to address the lack of vitality and issues were identified as follows: 
    1. Create a place that meets resident and user needs and reflects their value of the beach environment and heritage 
    2. Enhance the public realm to deliver diverse staying places that are comfortable all year around and promote self-sustaining activity 
    3. Improve the visitor experience; making it easier to get around, access amenity, activity and business, and to enjoy in its own right.
    As a result the PMWF Activation Plan was developed and identified and prioritised 26 actions for implementation over two years 2014-2016.

    Van also provided the following links for related programmes:
    The BCNA is actively involved with the development of Port Melbourne Activation Plan.

    Webb Dock Works - Week commencing 19 October

    This week's works notice can be downloaded here which contains some general facts about the works.

    Please don't forget the planned Todd Road closure over the weekend 6 to 9 November.

    Thursday 15 October 2015

    2015 AGM Report

    The BCNA 2015 Annual General Meeting was held last Thursday, 8 October.  There was an excellent attendance with virtually every seat at the Trugo Club needed.

    Tracey Slatter, CEO of the City of Port Phillip, gave a very interesting and informative speech as well as answering questions from those present.

    Martin Foley MLA also attended and we thank him for his active attendance and answering a number of questions.

    After the formal reports, the President, Eddie Micallef, thanked retiring Committee members Trevor Nink, Ron Cassano, and Libby Morrison.  Special mention was made of Trevor who has given a considerable number of years’ service to the community through his leadership role within BCNA and will be greatly missed.

    The AGM also elected a Committee for 2015-16:
    President
      Eddie Micallef - 9645 1185
    Vice President
      Roger Joyce - 9646 7489
    Secretary/Treasurer
      Bill Fisher - 9646 9639
    Committee Members
      Greg Mate - 9681 7441
      Pam Montgomery - 9646 7554
      Richard Nowotny - 9645 6870
      John Whittington - 9681 8585

    Spirit of Tasmania Open Days, 24-25 October

    The Spirit of Tasmania will be opening the ship to the public on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 so that people will to view the ship to see the new refurbishments. Tours are from 10am through to 3pm on both days. Each tour will be approximately 30 mins, with the last group departing Station Pier between 3:30pm – 4:00pm.

    The event will be a fun family day out, with stilt walkers, balloons, a Lions Club sausage sizzle and face-painting.

    The organisers anticipate approximately 4,000 people attending per day.  They have encouraged visitors to catch public transport and have advised visitors there is no parking available. Yarra Trams have been notified to expect additional passengers on the 109 route.

    To manage crowd control, they have promotional staff and extra security guards available. They have asked everyone to register for a tour time to further manage crowd control.

    The press ad can be downloaded here.

    Monday 12 October 2015

    Webb Dock Works - Week commencing 12 October

    This week's works notice can be downloaded here.

    Please note the planned Todd Road closure from 6 to 9 November.

    Monday 5 October 2015

    Reminder - BCNA AGM

    Don't forget that the BCNA AGM is this Thursday at 7pm in the Sandridge Senior Citizens Club (Trugo Club) in Garden City Reserve.

    Tracey Slatter, CEO of City of Port Phillip, will be our guest speaker.

    Webb Dock Works - Week commencing 5 October

    This week's works notice can be downloaded here.

    Items in it that may be of interest:
    • A 1.5 hectare section of the Yarra riverbank south of the Westgate Bridge has been opened to the public. The area of port owned land will be landscaped by the Friends of Westgate Park.
    • Planned Todd Road closure scheduled for 5-9 November.
    • Rabbit baiting has commenced in Maritime Cove (the bait is impregnated carrots).