Update on Ground Floor Plans for 103 Beach Street

The BCNA has been contacted by the City of Port Phillip’s planning department to say that they have approved a change of use for the ground floor. Members will be aware that the ground floor is currently vacant.

The owners sought changes to allow two apartments to be built on the northern side of the building with a small retail space to be used for delicatessen/café/groceries on the southern side (explained here). After deliberation and discussion with the owners, the BCNA committee resolved  to support the changes. This aligns with feedback received from members, which was strongly in favour.

Old Telstra Building in Bay Street

The City of Port Phillip (Council) recently approved an extension of a planning permit for the site at the corner of Bay and Liardet Streets (222-224 Bay Street). This was the former site for Telstra.

Council unanimously approved a motion that the development must commence by 30 May 2028. Pleasingly, the motion also requests officers to engage with the landowner and/or their representatives to investigate opportunities for interim activation of the site pending the commencement of development.

Reminder - BCNA Survey - Closes this Sunday (26 July)

Many thanks to those who have responded so far to our survey about BCNA social events aiming to encourage a greater sense of community in Beacon Cove.

For those that haven't responded, there is still time. The survey closes this Sunday (26 July) and should only take about five minutes.

The survey is anonymous and would be a great help to our volunteers who arrange these activities and would like to spend their time where it’s most effective.

Click/tap here to take part in the survey. 

BCNA Meeting with Council About Anti Hoon Measures.

Recently, BCNA representatives met the City of Port Phillip’s transport and planning staff at Station Pier to discuss anti hoon measures for the area. The BCNA proposed several measures designed to suppress speeding and noise. A walk along Station Pier, Waterfront Place and Beach Street promoted discussion about the options. Council staff are preparing a report for a meeting with Councillors in August and will discuss the issues with the BCNA before the meeting. 

BCNA’s 2026 Annual General Meeting

This year’s BCNA AGM will be held on Thursday 24th September at the Community Centre (formerly the Trugo Club) just off Tucker Ave in Garden City Reserve. The Guest Speaker will be Alex Makin, Mayor, City of Port Phillip. Other invited guests include Nina Taylor, MP, State Member for Albert Park, and Councillor Heather Cunsolo.

Members will be sent papers and further details in mid-August.

The BCNA Needs Your Feedback

One of the goals of the BCNA is the facilitation of communication and social interaction to encourage a sense of community and one of the ways we do this is by arranging social events for members of the Beacon Cove community.

To see how we are doing and how we can do better at this, we’re asking Beacon Cove residents to complete a short (five minute) survey.  The survey is anonymous and would be a great help to our volunteers who arrange these activities and would like to spend their time where it’s most effective.

Click/tap here to take part in the survey.  It closes on Sunday 26 July.

Storage of Caravans, Boats and Trailers on Council Land and Roads

At its meeting on 17th June, the City of Port Phillip unanimously passed a local law amendment which prohibits a person from storing or parking a caravan, boat or trailer on Council land or a road for a period of 14 days within a 60-day period. This follows feedback from the community and a report.

Long-term storage of caravans, boats and trailers on street can negatively affect local amenity, parking availability, and sightlines. The BCNA has received complaints about this and contacted the Mayor, Councillor Alex Makin, and Councillor Heather Cunsolo ahead of Council’s meeting to register our support for the local law amendment.

Road Safety at the Intersection of Beacon Road and Williamstown Road

This is a dangerous intersection and is more so for motorists turning right from Beacon Road into Williamstown Road during peak hours.

The BCNA discussed this with Nina Taylor MP, State member for Albert Park, last February. We urged her to seek car activated traffic lights (known as vehicle detector loops) to assist drivers as the road is the responsibility of the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and the Victorian Government.

          

Council staff have advocated for vehicle detector loops on Beacon Road and ‘Keep Clear’ line marking on Williamstown Road. However, both measures are not supported by the DTP. The BCNA will be contacting Nina Taylor to ask that she request that these measures be supported by DTP.

If you have concerns about safety and the need for vehicle detector loops, we encourage you to contact Ms Taylor at nina.taylor@parliament.vic.gov.au.

Until road safety improvements are introduced, we urge drivers to avoid turning right from Beacon Road. Choose an alternative route to get on to Williamstown Road. This intersection will become busier once the Barak Beacon housing development is completed later this year.

Increase in Annual Garbage Bin Surcharge

At a special meeting on 29th June, the City of Port Phillip Council passed the Year 2 arrangements of the long-term Plan for Port Phillip 2025-35. One of the items approved is a significant increase in the cost (to you) if you choose to use a large (240-litre) rubbish bin. The default allocation for a residence in Port Phillip is a 120-litre bin, for which there is no additional charge with your rates. However, some residents have chosen to upsize to a 240-litre bin and for that an additional charge is allocated. That charge will now increase from $290 per year to $360. If you have the largest rubbish bin, you can avoid this charge by contacting council and requesting to downsize.

Opening of Port Melbourne Migration Trail

Apologies for the late notice, but the BCNA has just received advice about the official launch of the Port Melbourne Migration Trail this Saturday, 13th June at 9.30 am. The launch will be held at the canoe sculpture near Station Pier before proceeding to the mural at the Port Melbourne Yacht Club. Following the formal proceedings there will be a complimentary sausage sizzle.

Road Works to Suppress Hooning at Station Pier and Waterfront Place

At a recent meeting with the Mayor of the City of Port Phillip, Alex Makin, and Councillor Heather Cunsolo, Port Melbourne Ward, the BCNA proposed road works and other tools to suppress hoon driving and excessive noise in this area.

It is become increasingly clear that road works are part of the solution. They are needed along with CCTV, acoustic cameras, speed cameras, and a police presence to suppress hoon behaviour. To this end, the BCNA has proposed road works and other tools. The BCNA’s ideas are being studied by Council staff for discussion in July.

Port Melbourne Light Rail Linear Parks Plan

The City of Port Phillip (Council) is developing a masterplan for the nine reserves along the Port Melbourne Light Rail Corridor. In 2025 they asked the community how they use these spaces and what could be improved. The feedback has helped Council to develop a draft masterplan.

The draft includes ideas to improve access through the reserves, add more greenery and create more places for people to relax and spend time together. Council is now inviting the community to review the draft plan and to provide feedback by 19 June.

Police Seeking Feedback

The BCNA has been contacted by a senior officer at South Melbourne Station about the Victoria Police Community Sentiment Survey 2026 which is now open.

The survey provides the community with an opportunity to share views and experiences of Victoria Police. The feedback received will help them to better understand community expectations, identifying areas where we are performing well, and highlight opportunities to improve services. Click/tap here for more information about the survey.

The BCNA strongly encourages the community to complete the survey. It is open until 30 June. It provides the community with the opportunity to explain local concerns and issues such as hooning and anti-social behaviour, property theft and damage, and community safety. The feedback will help police to improve services.

Removal of Car Parking Near the Graham Street Tram Stop

The City of Port Phillip is seeking feedback on potential changes to the car park which is close to Graham Street light rail stop on the 109 service.

Council is considering using all or some of the space for recreation purposes. Four options are presented, two of which show the removal or all or most car parking.

The BCNA considers that the loss of car parking close to this tram stop to be a backward step. Parking is needed to allow easy access, particularly by users with mobility issues. Forcing users to park some distance will be difficult for some and will discourage the use of public transport.

The BCNA concedes that a redesign of the area could lead to more efficient use. The BCNA will consider Council’s proposal at our next meeting and may lodge a submission. We encourage the community to provide feedback online or email Port Melbourne Ward Councillor Heather Cunsolo before 19 June.

Update on Plans for the Ground Floor at 103 Beach Street

The BCNA has received positive responses to the proposed plan to vary the layout of the ground floor at 103 Beach Street as explained earlier.

The owners have since made some adjustments to the plans. They are proposing dividing the area between two 2-bedroom apartments and a café/retail outlet.

The BCNA has discussed details with representatives of the Owners Corporation (OC). We are told that there continues to be interest in the retail area. The BCNA continues to welcome feedback on the proposal to our President or Secretary.

Council Local Law Changes and Homelessness

Members may be aware that the City of Port Phillip has introduced new local law powers allowing authorised officers, in some circumstances, to remove and impound belongings and camping equipment from people sleeping rough in public places (for more details, refer to the proposal put to the council). The Mayor, Councillor Alex Makin has also explained the changes.

The policy has generated significant community discussion across Port Phillip, including concerns about its humanity and how it will operate in practice. The council has stated that the powers are intended to address public safety and anti-social behaviour issues and that they will be used as a last resort, with outreach services notified before any action is taken.

The BCNA supports a safe, welcoming, and accessible community for all who live in and visit Port Melbourne. At the same time, we recognise that homelessness is a complex social issue requiring compassionate and long-term responses.

Consistent with the views expressed by many Port Phillip residents during Council consultation, the BCNA encourages the Council to exercise these powers sparingly, respectfully and with compassion and assistance to affected individuals by prioritising outreach, support services, and housing solutions as the primary response to homelessness.

Plans for the Ground Floor at 103 Beach Street

The Owners Corporation (OC) for 103 Beach Street has contacted BCNA to say they, together with the developer, plan to submit revised plans for the ground floor to the City of Port Phillip. The owners will be seeking approval for change of use for this area.

The original design allowed the full ground floor to be available for retail and hopefully, a small supermarket. The OC has emphasised that considerable effort has been made to secure a retail lease/supermarket. However, this has been unsuccessful after extensive searches. Considering this, the OC is of the view that it is best to adjust the configuration to fill the ground level and complete the building. The revised plan is to use the Waterfront Place side of the ground floor for retail use and the Beach Street side to create 2 apartments.

The OC hopes to attract a retail outlet similar to Gumtree (in Albert Park), providing coffee, lunches, wine, cheeses & grab and go dinners. We have been told that this smaller configuration has sparked  interest from an established provider of this type of service.

The front facade on the building will remain unchanged.

The BCNA will be considering the plans shortly. In the meantime, feedback on the proposal is welcome by emailing our President an/or Secretary.

New Local Group to Coordinate Action against Hoon Driving and Vehicle Noise

The BCNA welcomes the formation of a new WhatsApp group to add support against hoon driving and excessive vehicle noise in the Station Pier area. We will continue to share information and work with this group.

The BCNA has been active on hoon driving and excess noise since 2021. In 2022 our advocacy led to Council’s purchase of their first mobile CCTV. We have continued to advocate for more action and the greater use of technology such as CCTV and acoustic cameras. Recent announcements on these items can be found here and here.

Spirit of Tasmania Ferry at Station Pier

Ports Victoria has notified us that the new Spirit of Tasmania V arrived recently from Europe, after circumnavigating Africa, and will be berthed at Station Pier until about 7th June. She joins her sister ship, Spirit IV, which is berthed in Williamstown and can be seen from our foreshore. Both ships are here  temporarily while work is done onboard and the dock in Devonport is renovated to accommodate the larger ferries. Later in 2026, they will start service between Corio Quay and Devonport.TT Lines, the operator of the ferry service, may offer ticketed vessel tours during the time the ferries are in port.

1-5 Waterfront Place

Since our last update we have heard that the City of Port Phillip has approved plans for the site.

We have been unsuccessful in contacting the builder to find out the start date.