Community Update 
Rye Pier upgrade

February 2022

Construction on the safer new Rye Pier starts this week!

Works kick off this week which will see the first 270 metres of the pier rebuilt featuring a wider and renewed timber deck, safety railings on both sides and new public lighting. The new section will also be built to cater for future sea level rise.   

Funded through the Victorian Government’s $24 million Piers and Jetties Economic Stimulus Package and delivered by Parks Victoria, the project will revitalise the pier precinct, upgrade facilities and create local jobs. 

What to expect during construction?

The upgrade of Rye Pier is a significant project, so some disruptions, noise and closures are unavoidable. To ensure public safety, a complete pier closure will be in place for about six months from when construction commences in the week starting 14 February 2022, until Winter/Spring 2022, subject to weather and timber availability.  

Alternative berthing, angling and pier walking opportunities are available nearby at Rosebud Pier. 

While we had anticipated being able start work last year, knowing how much locals and visitors love using Rye Pier over summer, along with some unavoidable delays due to supply chain shortages, we decided to postpone starting work until after the summer school holiday period.   

In addition to work on the pier, works will be undertaken on water using barges and work boats. To ensure visitor safety, a legal set-aside has been established around the works area meaning entry onto or under the works area of the pier is prohibited except for Parks Victoria officers and individuals involved in the works. This work area will be marked and include the first 270 metres of the pier. Water access outside of this area will remain accessible for the majority of the project. 

Approximate work area plan - first 270 metres of pier.

The work includes:

• Reconstruction of the first 270 metre section of pier from the foreshore to before the low landing, in timber, to extend the life of the pier.   
• Raising the rebuilt section by 600 mm to cater for future sea level rise.    
• Installing ramps at the pier entrance and before the low landing to ensure all-abilities access to the varying levels of the pier.   
• Widening the new timber deck to 4.2 metres for better visitor access.    
• Installing steel railings on both sides of the new section for improved safety.   
• New solar lights for greater energy efficiency.  

Why do we need these works?

Rye Pier is nearing the end of its design life having been built in the early 1990s. Upgrades to the pier’s inner approach will maintain access to the areas that the community value most. 

Rye Pier is central to the beach and marine environment amenity of the Mornington Peninsula on Bunurong Sea Country. We know many incredible marine species rely on artificial habitat provided by the pier which is renowned as an ideal place to observe the Giant Spider Crab (Leptomithrax gaimardii) aggregation ahead of their annual Winter moult.  This phenomenon, combined with the presence of many other incredible marine species including bottom feeding seahorses, stingrays, octopus and a range fish species make it a popular place for SCUBA divers, marine naturalists and underwater photographers.    

Protecting the marine environment

Protecting the marine life of the area is critical to the project. To ensure this, we've commissioned an independent ecological report - Rye Pier Replacement – Retention of redundant piles as ecological habitat for recreational divers which provides recommendations on how to retain the pier's ecological value as a dive and marine natural history site. 

Key findings of the report 

• The ecological values of the marine species inhabiting the seabeds and artificial habitats created by the pier structure increases with distance from the shore and water depth.  
• The first 120 metres of pier is located in the intertidal area. The very shallow seabed comprises bare, flat, fine sand and is sparsely inhabited by common invertebrates including barnacles, limpets, blue mussels and macroalgae. Removal of piles close to the seabed and foreshore will have little effect on the marine ecological value of the existing pier. 
• Biological growth is greatest starting around 180 to 200 metres offshore along the existing pier, or at 1.8 metre depth.  Retention of some piles in the zone from 200 metres to 270 metres is recommended to preserve marine natural history values. 

Based on this report and data collected through citizen science initiatives and previous surveys, we plan to retain a selection of the redundant piles between the 200 to 270 metre section of pier where there are highest ecological values.  

This will be done by cutting off viable piles between 0.5 and 1.5 metres above the seabed to allow marine life attached to the retained section of piles to remain in their habitat with minimal disturbance. This will also assist with recolonisation onto the new piles over time. 

Although the area of the old pile habitat will be partly reduced through this approach, some of the habitat usually accessible to divers and marine naturalists will be retained. Importantly, the habitat provided by the pier will be increased with the installation of a similar number of new timber piles that will be colonised by marine biota over time. Mobile creatures, such as seahorses and other fish species, inhabiting the area will be able to swim away from any temporary disturbance and find protection in the outlying seabed or retained piles. 

We are also working hard to complete high impact work, such as piling, ahead of the anticipated annual Giant Spider Crab aggregation that generally occurs from May, to minimise impacts on this natural phenomenon and the viewing opportunity Rye Pier traditionally provides at this time. 

View the full report – Rye Pier Replacement – Retention of redundant piles as ecological habitat for recreational divers (2021).   

Investing in local port assets

Upgrades to several other piers and jetties through the Victorian Government’s $24 million Piers and Jetties economic stimulus packages in Port Phillip include Queenscliff South Pier, Altona Pier, Portarlington Pier and Middle Brighton Pier all of which are being repaired or rebuilt to make them better for the future.  A $53 million investment in St Kilda Pier will completely revitalise the precinct.  

Through the 2021-22 State Budget, the Victorian Government has also invested $2.5 million to implement a Sustainable Local Ports Framework – a new process to prioritise future investment and ensure safe and sustainable piers and jetties for all Victorians. This roadmap will ensure investment goes where it is needed most.  

Using this Framework and other local considerations, Parks Victoria continues to prioritise the repair and renewal requirements of its large portfolio of maritime assets to deliver a safe and sustainable local port network for all to enjoy.