YRBA

If not for the Yarra River, Southbank would be much the same as most modern, inner urban, high-density suburbs.

It is the water that makes this precinct special and which gives it its defining character.  I remember talking once to an American couple staying at The Langham.

The highlight of their trip to Australia was eating breakfast in the hotel and watching the early morning rowers training on the river. They were experienced travellers, but had never had such an experience at a hotel anywhere in the world.

The rate and quality of development on Southbank and parts of Northbank has been spectacular over the past decade. We’re now seeing refurbishment of many of the precinct’s original pieces of infrastructure, such as Hamer Hall’s $127 million redevelopment, the creation of WTC Wharf, and the edgy transformation of South Wharf Promenade.  

Twenty years ago the developments hardly identified with the waterfront. These days everyone is scrambling to achieve river frontage or, at least, a glimpse of the water and its many users: rowers, recreational boaties, ferries and shuttles, tour boats and dining vessels.

The business association is about to start discussions with the State Government over the management and governance of the waterway.  Times have been tough for our river boat operators during the past 10 years – ever-increasing fees, new taxes and reduced maintenance. While we have one-off events on and along the river, it is the companies who have been plying the Lower Yarra with their boats everyday for up to 30 years that gives it colour and character. Have you seen Melbourne’s skyline, gardens and port area from the water? – you’ll get a whole new impression of our city when you do.

We would like to inform government about how you – the residents and business people – feel about the commercial river operation. What could be done to improve the service?  Would you like some of them serving commuters?  What do you think of the facilities for berthing and embarking the vessels?

If there was a regular river commuter shuttle between Federation Square, South Wharf and Docklands, would you use it?

Please use the email address at the end of this column to let us know your opinion. You can do it anonymously and all feedback will be reported only in aggregated form. Not only will it give the association some coalface information to take to government, but your comments will also be useful to the operators themselves.

Speaking of water ferries, the WTC Water Taxi should be operating again by the time this paper hits the streets.  During winter it has been running a “Float to the Footy” service, but now cranks-up for the spring, summer and autumn period on Friday evenings (4-7pm) and on Saturdays and Sundays between 11am and 5pm. It runs a loop service between WTC Wharf, South Wharf, Southgate and Federation Square. It’s heavily subsidised by WTC management, which means that prices are as little as $2 child and $5 adult, or an unlimited day pass for $5 child and $10 adult.  

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