A new education and community precinct has been unveiled at Fishermans Bend, to be built around the new Ferrars Street school currently under construction.
Plans for the Ferrars Street Precinct are now available for public comment, which detail how this industrial part of South Melbourne will become a neighbourhood. Works will include:
- An 8400 square metre park available to the school and for public use, to be ready for when the school opens in January 2018
- Upgraded tram stops around routes 109 and 96
- Street and intersection upgrades around Douglas, Ferrars, Meaden, Buckhurst and Kerr streets
- New cycle lanes, kerbs and intersection upgrades for better pedestrian and cyclist access, providing safe routes to the school and park
- Railway Place will offer pedestrian priority, connect to the 96 tram route, and will have terraced landscaping available for public gatherings, outdoor teaching and performances.
Minister for Planning Richard Wynne, Minister for Education James Merlino and Member for Albert Park Martin Foley today visited a pop-up park at the site with Port Melbourne Primary School students, who illustrated their ideas for the future space.
The Andrews Labor Government and City of Port Phillip purchased the park site for close to $20 million in 2015, paving the way for these Ferrars Street precinct works.
The Labor Government is working with the Port Phillip and Melbourne councils towards detailed plans for Fishermans Bend, with input from the community and an independent committee.
The previous Liberal government rezoned the former industrial area without providing schools, parks, childcare centres or transport plans and caused land values to skyrocket overnight.
The community now has opportunities to be involved in long-term planning and more information is available at
Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning Richard Wynne
“Investing in Fishermans Bend and bringing the community with us means we will have new suburbs close to Melbourne’s CBD where we can accommodate another 80,000 people over the coming decades.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“We’re delivering more school places in South Melbourne and this plan for the surrounding streets will give students safe access on foot, on their bikes and on public transport.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Albert Park Martin Foley
“We’re working with the community to transform industrial streets to welcoming neighbourhoods where people want to live and businesses want to invest.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020