Your best spot for live music this February

Waterfront Festival 2026 is set to deliver an unforgettable soundtrack by the bay. Headlining Waterfront Fest is much-loved Australian indie outfit Hockey Dad, joined by crowd favourites Jack Botts and Gordi, bringing big melodies and laid-back summer vibes to the waterfront.

Across the two days catch Sunshine and Disco Faith Choir, John Course, The Gnomes, Cool Out Sun, Sunday Lemonade, Ruby Mae, DJ Cooper Smith and Sundance. The perfect mix of live bands and DJs from day through to night.

Frankston Swim Classic

Saturday 7 February

Make a splash. Registrations are still open for Frankston Swim Classic 2026!

Now in its third year, this event is the perfect opener to Day Two of Waterfront Fest with a fun blend of fierce or friendly competition and family events.

Options to enter: 400m, 1.2km and 2.5km open water bay swims & a 700m Kids’ Beach Run.

Or just head along and support your favourite local swimmers.

Little Beauty Market

Saturday 7 February, 12–9pm

Everyone's favourite boutique market @Little Beauty Market will be at Waterfront Festival for a special pop-up edition!⁠

⁠Wander through and be inspired by hand-picked stalls from local and Victorian artisans, makers, crafters and creatives.⁠

Find them near the Frankston Foreshore playground on the Saturday

Carlsberg Beach Club

Every Friday to Sunday, 12pm until sunset, active during Waterfront Festival

Back for its second year, the beach club brings a slice of the Mediterranean to our shores with delicious food, drinks, and sunbed and umbrellas for hire and sunset music sessions. 

Perfect for all ages. 

New environmental project to slash energy costs and emissions

Frankston City Council is partnering with the Australian Government to deliver a major sustainability project that will cut around 723 tonnes of carbon emissions and save over $200,000 in energy costs every year.

Accessible beach experience bookings open until 28 February

Bookings for equipment to assist people with disabilities to access Frankston Foreshore are available Thursdays to Saturdays, 10.30am–2.30pm, for use between the Frankston Pier and Kananook Creek.

Equipment includes:

• 70 meters of beach matting
• bookable shaded daybeds
• free beach wheelchairs and beach walkers
• wheelchair transfer hoist

Services will not be available 5, 6 and 7 February 2026 during the Waterfront Festival. Booking slots are open two weeks in advance.

Frankston City Council worked with Accessible Beaches Australia to bring the pilot to Frankston, with the support of the Frankston Social Inclusion Action Group, local businesses, community organisations and volunteers.

The pilot program will conclude on Saturday 28 February.

Enjoy Frankston’s waterfront safely this summer!  

Our waterfront is one of our greatest treasures and we want everyone to make the most of it — safely. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and have fun (and what we’re doing to support community safety too): 

Swim between the flags 
Frankston Surf Life Saving Club patrols the area from November–April on weekends and public holidays (12–5pm). Council beach-buggy patrols will also be out to support lifesavers. Find out more.

Check conditions 
Stay weather-aware and monitor beach conditions throughout the day. Find out more.

Free swim & safety programs 
Build confidence in the water with Peninsula Leisure and Council’s Can Swim initiative — fully subsidised programs for all ages. Bookings required.

Safety patrols 
Council’s Rapid Response team and Victoria Police will maintain a visible presence across the foreshore and city centre.

Hot weather tips 
Stay hydrated and SunSmart while enjoying the sunshine. Find out more.

Let’s make this summer safe, fun and unforgettable!  

Craving an ice cream by the beach? We’ve got you covered!  

Frankston’s Foreshore is about to get even sweeter with a brand-new pop-up beach kiosk opening on 23 January – just in time for the Australia Day long weekend and the Waterfront Festival (6-7 February)! 

Located just outside the former Sofia’s restaurant on Pier Promenade, the kiosk will be open from 11am on all your perfect beach days throughout summer. 

Thanks to the crew who brought you the Carlsberg Beach Club, you can soon enjoy: 

• ice creams (your summer essential!) 
• cold drinks (non-alcoholic) 
• coffee and tea 
• snacks and warm pies.

The kiosk is wheelchair accessible and part of our Australia’s Most Accessible Beach Project – because everyone deserves a taste of summer! 

It will use sustainable packaging and no glass containers, keeping our foreshore safe and beautiful, and reducing waste as part of our commitment the environment. 

Frankston Stadium update

The first pre-cast concrete walls were installed just before Christmas at Frankston Stadium as part of the new basketball show court, marking a major step in our city’s largest ever infrastructure project. 

Once complete in mid–2027, the stadium will offer: 

• 10 basketball courts, including a 1,000-seat show court 
• purpose-built gymnastics hall including a training pit 
• broadcast-ready facilities for major events 
• new café, accessible changerooms, lift and viewing areas 
• a permanent home for the Frankston & District Basketball Association’s (FDBA) 10,000+ participants and Bayside Gymnastics Club’s (BGC) growing membership 
• $32.9M annual health and wellbeing benefits 
• $59.5M economic return forecast by 2045.

Thank you to our partners: Australian and Victorian governments, FDBA and BGC 

Be ready before the water tests you

Whether you’re a seasoned boater or first-time paddler, Safe Transport Victoria’s website offers practical advice to help you make safer decisions on the water. Even experienced mariners can slip into autopilot, where complacency becomes a hidden risk.

Stay alert, check conditions, know your limits, respect speed and distance rules, and keep safety gear ready. A little extra awareness goes a long way. Visit Safe Transport Victoria’s website for more information to help keep you safe on the water this summer.

Do you know someone who had a baby in 2025? It's not too late to join the Birth Tree!

Rotary Peninsula Annual Birth Tree and Family Garden project invites you join the 2025 tree and plaque, celebrating the newest members of our growing community.  For an investment of $50 you will receive a timeless tribute of your loved one in the form of a tree and plaque, but more importantly, $45 of every contribution goes straight back here to PARC and PINES to help more children build confidence in the water.  

Dog beach restrictions 

For everyone’s safety and comfort, dogs are not allowed on our beaches in peak usage times in the summer months, with restrictions applying until 31 March 2026:  

Reminder: no dogs between 9.30am–7.30pm 

Dogs allowed before/after these times on a lead. Don’t forget your clean-up bags! There are also still plenty of places, including the Keast Park beach, to let your furry friend enjoy some off-lead time, see more detail below. 

February rates instalment 

A reminder that the February instalment of your annual rates payment will be mailed out to all residents by the end of January, with payment due by Sunday 28 February. For more information, including concessions, payment plans and hardship assistance, click the link below.

Can Swim Expressions of Interest are open for FREE February infant and March adult programs

This summer Peninsula Leisure is running a variety of programs to cater to a range of participants. These programs are fully funded, which means you pay nothing to join and learn these vital, life-saving skills.

Why is it so important to connect with your neighbours? 

Did you know research shows connected communities where neighbours know each other, are more resilient and safer places to live? Emotional support, companionship, and meaningful engagement can ease loneliness, boost self-esteem, and protect against stress and isolation.

On Sunday 29 March, we’re inviting everyone in Frankston City to get onboard as part of the Neighbours Every Day campaign — residents, community groups, clubs and more.

Host a BBQ, morning tea, organise a park picnic, or get some games going with your neighbours… there are a million ways to connect and belong.

To help make your celebration a success we are providing $100 Woollies vouchers for the first 25 events registered! 

Visit the Council website from Sunday 1 February to register your Neighbour Day event and for more information, resources, and conditions. Winners will also receive a host kit with printed invites, and tips to help you make your event amazing!

Proudly supported by the Social Inclusion Action Group Frankston.

FREE public transport for under 18s

Anyone under 18 can now travel for FREE on trains, trams and buses — anytime, anywhere — with a Youth myki.

That means no transport costs getting to and from Frankston — perfect timing for warm weather, beach days and big events like the Waterfront Fest

Just grab a Youth myki for a one-off cost of $5, tap on and go.

For more information and to order a Youth myki, visit the Transport Victoria website.

Frankston line services are also returning to the City Loop from Sunday 1 February, improving access to the CBD for thousands of passengers on one of Melbourne’s busiest lines. 

Peninsula University Hospital nears completion

The state government-funded $1.1 billion redevelopment of Frankston Hospital is nearing completion and will begin welcoming patients from 20 January 2026.

The new 12-storey tower delivers:

• 130 additional beds
• 15 new operating theatres
• mental health & oncology spaces
• rooftop helipad

The redevelopment also includes enhancements to the existing hospital, with a new main entrance, multi-deck car park and emergency department upgrades — including a dedicated paediatric zone and a mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub.

Now known as Peninsula University Hospital, the redeveloped facility is expected to support up to 35,000 patients each year, helping reduce wait times and ensuring locals can access more care and support closer to home

New year, new habits – make 2026 un-FOGO-gettable!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to build better habits – and one of the easiest ways to make a positive impact in 2026 is by becoming an early adopter of the FOGO ( Food organics and garden organics) bin service.

FOGO is Frankston City’s lime green-lidded bin service for food waste and garden waste. When you use it, your food and garden waste is collected and turned into compost – helping local farms grow healthy crops and keeping valuable resources out of landfill. Thanks to our community’s efforts, almost 16,000 tonnes of food and garden waste were transformed into nutrient-rich compost in 2025 !  

Join the movement
More than 80 per cent of Frankston City households already use FOGO – and it’s easy to join them. By sorting your food and garden waste into the FOGO bin, you are taking simple, everyday action to care for our local environment.

FOGO services will become compulsory from 1 July 2026, but why wait? Opt in now to kick off 2026 with a fresh habit that’s good for your home, your community and the planet.