Traffic Management in Beacon Cove During Cruise Ship Visits

During the 2018/19 cruise ship season, the City of Port Phillip’s (CoPP) Transport Safety Engineering team worked with VicPorts to trial an extended Traffic Management Plan (TMP). This was implemented on 25 critical cruise shipping days. The TMP included traffic controllers stationed at the Beach Street, Princes Street and Waterfront Place roundabout. The program was considered a success.

The program is designed to:

• Improve the operation of the queuing lane and the Princes Street, Waterfront Place and Beach Street roundabout.
• Prevent truck access into Waterfront Place from Princes Street and Beach Street (from Beacon Road/The Boulevard approach).
• Improve safety and operation of the roundabout.
• Reduce truck volumes in Princes Street and other local roads.

This year, CoPP officers have liaised with VicPorts and TT-Line who have agreed to implement the extended TMP on 56 days during the 2019/20 cruise ship season. The season commenced on Sunday 13 October 2019.

CoPP officers will continue work with VicPorts during the cruise shipping to monitor and review the TMP. The dates the extended TMP are to be implemented are available on the Council’s website.

Out There Sailing

With the assistance from Australian Sailing, the Port Melbourne Yacht Club (PMYC) will be running a short Out There Sailing program that offers an opportunity for teenagers to experience sailing while having fun with friends and to learn skills that will help them now and in the future.

The program is aimed at 12-17 year olds who would like to try sailing, windsurfing and/or paddle boarding and will be conducted with trained instructors on specific Saturdays throughout the summer season. Anyone can get involved, whether they have sailed before or not.

The teenagers don’t have to be a member of PMYC and don’t need to own a boat. All sailing equipment will be provided for them at the Club.

Anyone interested should go to the PMYC website or give Paul Leitinger a call on 0401 992 000.

Have Your Say on Council's Draft Parking Management Policy Before 3 November

Sorry for the very late notice but this has only come to my attention.

Community consultation on the draft Parking Management Policy closes on Sunday 3 November 2019 and the City of Port Phillip (CoPP) is keen to receive your feedback.

You can “Have Your Say” on the draft Parking Management Policy by attending a workshop at 10am on Wednesday 30 October 2019 or via their online survey. The survey will be open until Sunday 3 November 2019.

The draft Policy has been informed by more than four years of consultation with the community and this current engagement is a critical step to test the proposed changes with the community.

A quick look at the new policy suggests that significant changes are proposed for resident, visitor, and other local parking pemits. So if you use or rely on one of these in the CoPP then the new policy is likely to impact you.

Visit haveyoursay.portphillip.vic.gov.au to view the draft Policy, register for a workshop or to complete the survey.

HMAS Choules Open Day - 12 October

The Royal Australian Navy's Landing Ship Dock (LSD), HMAS Choules is scheduled to be docked at Station Pier from 10th October to participate in Navy Week activities.

There will be an open day on Saturday 12th October from 10am to 3pm. Tickets are free but need to be ordered in advance at this link.

For more details of the open day go to http://www.navy.gov.au/event/hmas-choules-open-day-melbourne.

Advisory Committee Established for 1-7 Waterfront Place

The Minister for Planning has now established an Advisory Committee to provide advice to him on the use of the site. The BCNA has received a letter explaining the process and Terms of Reference. The Advisory Committee has been asked whether the developer’s planning permit should be issued and if so, what would be the appropriate conditions for the permit. The developer’s planning permit application was for a 10-storey mixed use building including 174 dwellings and two retail premises.

The BCNA will be considering the papers and preparing a response. Details will be provided once plans are finalised. Key dates are a Directions Hearing (which is open for anyone to attend) on 9 October 2019 and Hearing Dates from 25 November to 6 December 2019.

HMAS Melbourne Open Day - This Sunday

You may have noticed that HMAS Melbourne docked at Station Pier today and will be there till 18th September. There will be an Open Day this coming Sunday (15th September) from 9am to 5pm.

Tickets are free but need to be obtained at this link.  The initial ticket allocation was insufficient and more were released at 12 today.

More details can be found at www.navy.gov.au/event/hmas-melbourne-open-day-melbourne-vic.

Waterfront Welcomers - Volunteers Needed

Waterfront Welcomers, the volunteer group who greet the cruise ship passengers at Station Pier, are urgently looking for volunteers.

This will be the fourth season of the programme, and they are looking for enthusiastic, passionate people to join their band of volunteers to assist passengers with their queries and tell them all about the sights/experiences of Port Melbourne and City of Port Phillip. No experience necessary - they will do all the training.

This year's cruise ship season begins in October 2019 and runs through to March 2020.

For further enquiries call Brian on 03 9645 1476 or email waterfrontwelcomers@southportcc.org.au.

Update on 1-7 Waterfront Place

Since our last update we have heard that the developer has not appealed the Court of Appeal’s decision to the High Court.

The Minister for Planning is now expected to convene an Advisory Committee to provide advice to him on the use of the site. The BCNA wants to see the Advisory Committee established as soon as possible.

The Advisory Committee is expected to seek submissions from those who have an interest in the site. This would include the Victorian Ports Corporation, Melbourne (VCPM), the City of Port Phillip, TT-Line and the BCNA. The VPCM has long argued against residential development at that site because it has the potential to compromise port operations.

Update on Air Quality Monitoring

The BCNA has been seeking a long term, well-designed air quality monitoring program at Station Pier as there are legitimate concerns about air quality.

Since our last update, the EPA has met the Port of Melbourne to discuss collaborative projects to monitor air quality. The EPA reports that the discussions were very productive. One project related to “air quality monitoring in Beacon Cove to compare levels before and after the introduction of low sulphur fuels to understand and evaluate the intervention of low sulphur fuels”. This statement is referring to the new Australia-wide standards for sulphur which commence from 1 January 2020. From this date, allowable sulphur in marine fuel will drop from 3.5% to 0.5% by volume.

The EPA plans follow up meetings with the Port of Melbourne in August-September to develop details and will then discuss projects with the BCNA. 

The BCNA has assisted Deakin University and the Queensland University of Technology to conduct air quality monitoring studies in Beacon Cove (more details here).  The BCNA expects to be able to provide the results of these studies soon.

Community Forum: Are Victoria and the City of Port Phillip Ageing Well?

A community forum, hosted by the Port Phillip U3A, will be held on Saturday 12 October 2-4pm on the subject Are Victoria and the City of Port Phillip Ageing well?

The City of Port Philip (CoPP) has an ageing population. Between 2011 and 2016, in percentage terms, the population in Port Phillip aged over 50 years grew over twice as fast as the population aged under 50 years - 18.7% compared to 7.5%. The percentage of population over 50 years in 2011 was 34.6%, whereas the percentage of population over 50 years in 2016 was 39.4%.

Issues to be canvassed include aged care, health, housing, loneliness, homelessness, infrastructure, public transport, and community safety.

A strong lineup of speakers is promised including The Hon Luke Donnellan MP, Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Dick Gross AM, Mayor of the CoPP, and Professor Georgina Tsolidis, Chair, Older Persons Consultative Committee of the CoPP.

More details and booking information can be found here.