Cruise Ship Season 2026-27

The first cruise ship for the 2026-27 season arrived at Station Pier on Sunday 11th October.

This year Ports Victoria expects 63 ships to visit Station Pier from October through to 20th April 2027. The next ship to visit will be the Carnival Adventure on Monday 2nd November.

If you want a list of ship arrivals for your fridge, click/tap here for one we have prepared.

Alternatively, click/tap here to go to the Ports Victoria website which always has the latest schedule.

Recap of BCNA’s Annual General Meeting

The BCNA held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 24th September. This meeting is rapidly becoming a key source of local news. This year, with three local representatives in attendance, the evening ended up being a detailed outline of progress across a wide range of Port Melbourne issues.

The Guest Speaker was Councillor Alex Makin, Mayor of the City of Port Phillip. He mentioned the following:

• The acoustic camera trial expected to be installed by the end of 2026 - he complimented Nina Taylor MP for her advocacy about this;
• Boom gates may be possible at Waterfront Place; and
• Council is working with Port Melbourne Business Association (PMBA) to make Bay street look less drab and that Council is hoping to activate the site of the old Telstra building at corner of Bay and Liardet Streets until the new building commences (in Council terminology, activation means taking appropriate action to enable some public use of a site).

Port Melbourne Ward Councillor Heather Cunsolo mentioned: 

• Possible activation of the land at 1-5 Waterfront Place until construction of the new building commences;
• The Barak Beacon development will have a café, parks, and gardens and that they will be open to the community; and
• A new pedestrian crossing on Beacon Road towards Beach Street and that the State Government has not agreed to car activated traffic lights at the intersection of Beacon Road and Williamstown Road. 

Ms. Nina Taylor, MP, State Member for Albert Park, mentioned:

• Her advocacy for a precinct plan for Waterfront Place;
• Future uses of the freight yard near Station Pier as Ports Victoria only requires about 30 per cent of the area;
• The cruise ship strategy rests with the Minister for Tourism;
• The Victorian Government has increased bus services in Fishermans Bend;
• There has been a quality fit out in apartments at the Barak Beacon development; and
• Recently released crime statistics which shows crime is too high and that more needs to be done.

Click/tap here for a summary of the meeting and the President's Report.

State Election 2026 - Questions to Candidates

Since our last update the BCNA has sent questions to candidates standing for the District of Albert Park. We ask about their reasons for nominating, priorities for Albert Park and for Victoria, and then ask about support for new housing, the City of Port Phillip’s planning provisions, anti hooning measures, the Station Pier and the Waterfront Place precinct, Fishermans Bend, and Community Safety. Click/tap here for the specific questions we asked.

We have asked candidates to return their responses by 8th October. We will post them on this website soon after 8th October.

Station Pier Open to the Public

Ports Victoria has told us that the pier is open to the public on weekends and public holidays. It is not open when cruise ships are at berth or when maintenance works make it unsafe for the public.

Council Approves Anti Hoon Measures for Waterfront Place and Station Pier

At its meeting on 5th August, the City of Port Phillip (Council) approved traffic and road treatment measures for these areas. This follows a proposal by BCNA which laid out various options for road treatments. This was received favourably by Council and was discussed with Council officers on site, at a follow up meeting with the Mayor and Councillor Cunsolo, and advocacy by BCNA members and residents.

Council has approved two (2) new speed humps within Waterfront Place, two (2) new speed humps within the Station Pier Car Park, two (2) raised priority crossings to replace the existing at-grade zebra crossings of the Bay Trail, including lighting upgrades, new chains installed between existing bollards along the periphery of Station Pier car park and new bollards installed where gaps are identified by officers. Council will also advocate for fixed speed cameras on Beach Street and Waterfront Place. Council officers are to provide an update on progress by October 2026. Click/tap here for full details of Council’s response.

The BCNA thanks Mayor Alex Makin and Councillor Heather Cunsolo for their advocacy on this issue.

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.

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.

ANZAC Commemoration and Naval Ship Visits

This year’s Port Melbourne Anzac Commemoration will be held at the WW1 Memorial, corner of Bay and Beach Streets, from 10 am to 11 am on Saturday. Beach Street will be closed from Bay Street through to Princes Street from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm to accommodate the service.

This year two Australian Navy ships will be at Station Pier over the Anzac weekend. They are HMAS Stuart, an Anzac Class frigate and HMAS Brisbane, a Hobart Class guided missile destroyer. Both ships are arriving on Thursday, 23rd April and departing on Monday 27th April. They follow the recent visit of a Japanese naval ship JS Kumano where an agreement to purchase Japanese frigates was signed.

Future uses of the freight yard near Station Pier

The BCNA has regular meetings with Ports Victoria to better understand plans and to discuss improvements to the area. One of the issues we discussed at a recent meeting was the use of the freight yard. We heard that the yard is still integral to operations but that Ports Victoria is open to ideas about community use at certain times. We heard that Ports Victoria has discussed this with the City of Port Phillip. The BCNA strongly supports the yard being used for community uses. The BCNA would welcome ideas for uses by emailing brief details to the President or Secretary.

Navy Ships at Station Pier

A French navy ship, the Auguste Benedix, is at Station Pier until Monday 16th March. It will not be open to the public. Click/tap here for details about the ship.

HMAS Ballarat, an Anzac class frigate, is arriving on Friday 13th March and departing on Tuesday 17th March. The City of Ballarat has organised a ‘Freedom of Entry’ ceremony for the ship’s crew on Sunday 15th March. Click/tap here for details.

Waterfront Place Update

We also got an update on the Waterfront Place precinct.  Ms Taylor stated that she would apply for a Development Victoria grant to develop a masterplan for the precinct. She asked the BCNA for details as the BCNA has advocated for a masterplan. For example, at a meeting with the Victorian Government’s Minister for Ports and Freight, The Hon. Melissa Horne MP, in October 2023. The masterplan is described on the final page of BCNA’s presentation.

French Frigate at Station Pier - Tuesday 11 Nov

Ports Victoria has confirmed that the French frigate Vendemiaire will be at Station Pier from the 10th to the 14th of November.

The visit of the ship is explained in a press release from the French Embassy.

The ship will be open to the public from 8am - 1pm on Tuesday, 11 November. Some form of ID is required. Closed shoes recommended - no high heels.

 

The Vendemiaire in 2013 - Source: Wikipedia

Click/tap here for more information about the Vendémiaire.

Release of Cruise Shipping Strategy

At this year’s AGM, Nina Taylor MP, Member for Albert Park, announced that the Victorian Government’s cruise shipping industry strategy would be released by the end of the year. 

The BCNA met consultants assisting Ports Victoria with the development of the strategy last December. We were told that discussion paper would be released around March 2025 before the strategy was finalised. The discussion paper has not been released.

The BCNA continues to believe that a discussion paper is a vital step in engaging stakeholders. In this case the significant parties include nearby residents to Station Pier, local businesses and schools, the cruise tourism sector, the City of Port Phillip, the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network, Yarra Trams, the Department of Home Affairs, and Ports Victoria itself. Transparent consultation enables stakeholders to understand and contribute meaningfully to proposed plans, often leading to more robust and widely supported outcomes.

The BCNA has written to Nina Taylor MP, asking her to support the release of a discussion paper before the strategy is finalised.

Cruise Ship Season

The first ship for the 2025/26 season arrived on Tuesday 14th October. It is the Silver Nova. Ports Victoria expects 75 ships up until early 12 May 2026.

There will be 16 overnight visits - 2 ships visiting this season for two nights each (The World and Odyssey). For the Spring Racing Carnival, the Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor will visit for 2 nights. Carnival Adventure will be returning for the Australian Open in January.  Details of expected ship arrivals can be found on Ports Victoria’s website.

In preparation for the new season, Ports Victoria has carried out maintenance and improvement work to protect the pier’s heritage and maintain it as a safe shipping and cruise facility. Works have included: 

• refurbishment of the Gatehouse roof and exterior, including painting
• the ongoing, annual pile rehabilitation program (including West Finger Pier)
• painting, corrosion protection, electrical and other works on elements of the pier structure and buildings.

Station Pier Open to the Public

Ports Victoria plans to open Station Pier to the public during daylight hours at weekends, commencing 18/19 October. No vehicles will be allowed. The pier will not be open to the public on cruise operation days.

BCNA AGM – Summary of Meeting

The BCNA held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 18th September. For those who could not attend, here are links for:

• a summary of the meeting
• the President’s report

Guests at this year’s AGM are shown in the front row in the photo below. From left they are Councillor Heather Cunsolo, Acting Inspector Ely Reynolds, and Ms. Nina Taylor MP.

The Guest Speaker was Senior Sergeant Ely Reynolds. He is currently Acting Inspector of the Port Phillip Police Service Area. Ely spoke about this year’s high road toll, the deployment of staff to other areas, crime in Port Phillip, and the importance of reporting crime.

Ms. Nina Taylor, MP, State Member for Albert Park, spoke about the ongoing maintenance of Station Pier, the release of a cruise shipping strategy later this year, hoon driving and acoustic cameras, and the Barak Beacon housing project.

Port Melbourne Ward Councillor Heather Cunsolo spoke about Council’s 10-year plan, Bay Street, the Barak Beacon project, 103 Beach Street, and 1-7 Waterfront Place.

BCNA Welcomes City of Port Phillip Advocacy for the Redevelopment of Station Pier and Waterfront Place

The BCNA welcomes the advocacy by the City of Port Phillip for the future of Station Pier and the nearby area. Click/tap here for more details.

The BCNA has been advocating for Victorian Government leadership to revitalise Station Pier and the Waterfront Place precinct for some years. Unfortunately, the area presents a poor image to visitors. It lacks shops, amenities and attractions for residents and visitors and is very weather exposed. This and other weaknesses are well known.

The development of a Victorian Cruise Shipping Strategy by Ports Victoria, as explained in the Victorian Government’s 2022 Navigating our Port Futures Strategy, is one way the Victorian Government could lead redevelopment of the area. The BCNA participated in discussions to develop a cruise shipping strategy earlier this year.

Australian Submarine at Station Pier

Ports Victoria has told us that an Australian submarine will be at Station Pier from Friday 29th August to Friday 5th September.

Station Pier will not be open to the public to allow a closer look during this visit.

While at Station Pier, the submarine will be “snorting” at certain times. Snorting is a procedure where some exhaust gases are released and appears as black smoke. Snorting is expected to occur from 1600 to 2359 hrs on Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Fire Rescue Victoria and Victoria Police are aware of these events.

Public Art at Station Pier

The City of Port Phillip has just installed new public artwork at Station Pier. It is located close to Station Pier.  

The sculpture shows a traditional canoe designed by a First Nations artist, Simone Thomson. It reflects the stories of migration and deep cultural connections to place. The work is part of the Migration Public Art Trail initiative led by the Port Melbourne Business Association and funded by a State Government grant. 

The project has been supported and signed off by the Victorian Government’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Officers from the City of Port Phillip managed the installation. Questions or feedback should be directed to the City of Port Phillip.

Station Pier - Visit Opportunity this Saturday 10th May

The Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (MMHN) and Ports Victoria are hosting an event on Station Pier this Saturday 10th May, from 2-4 pm. This is an opportunity to hear about the technical and heritage underpinnings of this landmark. The event is part of the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival.

The event is free, but bookings are required (click/tap here to book).

The MMHN advocates for the urgent ‘Reimagining of Station Pier’ (click/tap here for details).